NCA's West Zone branch inaugurated

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, MAY 1. It was not a commonplace and symbolic, `breaking the coconut, lighting the incense sticks and serving sweets' inauguration of the National Cricket Academy's West Zone branch at the Wankhede stadium on the morning of May Day and Maharashtra Day. Though this traditional ritual took place, the inauguration could not have been a dull event, especially in the distinguished presence of the NCA chairman, Mr. Raj Singh Dungarpur and a very ardent and passionate man like Nari Contractor, who is the Head Coach of the zonal academy.

Tough talking slowly tempered into reasoning and even cajoling. Together they took 40 minutes to impress and influence upon the trainees, what they intend to impart through the programme, what they expect in returns in the form of gains over a period of time. They said the inception of the zonal academy at five zonal centres was a landmark occasion in the history of Indian cricket. They hammered home the point of playing with passion and pride, highlighted the aspects of fitness and fielding, effort and honesty.

``Do not cheat. You will be found out. Be honest to yourself,'' urged Mr. Contractor in his opening remarks. ``If you feel tired, please go home. Getting tired is all mental. Don't stay. There are others to take your place. Do not mistake this for a camp, shake that lethargy out of your system. This is a Gurukul,'' cautioned Mr. Dungarpur. Harsh words, the trainees heard it all in rapt attention.

Three years short of 70, Mr. Contractor, attired in snowwhite trouser and shirt and a black belt, lectured for nearly 20 minutes. The man of the old school was fast and fiery and did not mince words. ``Do not cheat. I am going to be very strict on the physical training part of the programme and I am going to tell my three coaches about it. The emphasis will be on fitness and fielding. Listen to the physical trainer. Do not shirk and be honest to yourself. Then only can you achieve the best. You are all lucky. Not only lucky, but proud to be part of the first zonal academy.''

Pointing to Mr. Dungarpur he said: `` He is obsessed with the game. He had the foresight for the future. He persevered and acted. We have to back him. I want all of you to be obsessed with cricket. I want you to love and enjoy the game. You have to set challenges and targets. It's all about getting them right mentally. And once you do it, half the battle is won. So please develop these aspects from now on.''

``At your age we did not have such facilities. In fact no facilities. You are all lucky in this aspect, too. I am going to dangle a carrot to you. If you all make a honest effort and turn out to be good, three or four of you will be sent to the NCA at Bangalore when the trainees there go to play matches. This will be one step higher.''

Mr. Contractor did not fail to point out the important aspects, most significant of which he highlighted was pride and playing for the team. ``The pride in playing for the club is no different from the pride in playing for your State or for the country. I also want all of you to be humble in success and more determined in defeat. The game is all about this.''

``You have to rejoice at a team member's achievement. Cricket is a team game and everybody is playing for the team. Talk to the other players and interact with them and the coaches. Start thinking about the game for yourself and others. Ask stupid questions. Doesn't matter. Try and imagine you are the captain. This will also help in the thinking process. Then you will be able to draw a comparison between what you had thought and what actually happened. You have to get into this habit of thinking. The harder you work, the luckier you get.''

Hinting at what he is going to pursue in the coming days, Mr. Contractor said: ``I am going to concentrate on physical fitness and fielding. Also the batsmen must have to bowl and bowlers to bat in the nets. The game is looking towards that direction. Don't bowl in the nets just because you have to bowl as if you are playing a festival match, but because you have to get wickets. And I'm not going to tolerate no balls. If you are bowling no balls in the nets, then you are not applying your mind. You are not making an effort. Wide balls can be controlled, but there should be a sincere effort not to bowl no balls.''

Mr. Dungarpur said there was a sense of history to the day because Tuesday was May Day and Maharashtra Day. ``And I must say that such a massive operation has never taken place in the history of Indian cricket. The best talent, numbering 120 boys, will be part of this historic beginning. I am sure that next September the national selectors will be confused. If they are not, then we have not done our job right. You are lucky to be part of the West Zone academy. And I don't mind saying here that Bombay cricket is the backbone of Indian cricket.''

The NCA Chairman reiterated the aspect of `passion and pride'. ``The first thing both Rodney Marsh and Geoff Marsh told me was that the Indians appeared to be lacking `passion and pride'. What we saw in recent times was a player wearing a funny helmet. I agree with Nari that one should rejoice at others' success. It's a team game. I would value a score of 30 made in two overs for a win than an individual score of 300. And I also agree with his view that the batsmen must bowl and the bowlers must bat. What we will get are all-rounders whom we don't have. I consider Vinoo Mankad and Kapil Dev as India's greatest all- rounders. See them as your heroes,'' said Mr. Dungarpur.

``The academy gave four boys to the Indian team, including Harbhajan Singh. He went out of the academy on disciplinary grounds only. He tore the dietician's sheets. I am hopeful of a few boys from this academy being picked in the Indian team for next year's under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.''

The NCA's new facility will come up 20 km from Bangalore. According to Mr. Dungarpur the Amabanis of Reliance Group have agreed to support the NCA in a big way. ``We have to prepare the project report. This will be a temple of Indian cricket. But our dreams will be realised only when you make an effort and succeed. It's all in your hands. I was an ordinary cricketer, but I am thoroughly committed to the cause of Indian cricket.''

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Jt. Hon. Secretary, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, welcomed the gathering. He said the MCA has been allotted a plot of land measuring 13 acres at the Bandra-Kurla Complex for the development of the game. Mr. Mayank Khandwala, also Jt. Hon. Secretary, proposed a vote of thanks. Present at the inauguration were former Test cricketer Dilip Sardesai and the three coaches Lalchand Rajput, Kiran More and Hemant Kanitkar. Rajput has completed a National Cricket Award (NCA) Certificate course in England. He has been playing and coaching at Perth, Scotland for the last 18 years.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Ebdon claws his way back to beat Lee
Next     : Tendulkar supports inclusion of eight seamers