Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

City cricket powered by premium league

Staff Reporter

Good news for wannabe Men in Blue. They can now hone skills in the `A' division league.

LEATHER-HUNT: A batsman in full flow at the Krishna District Cricket Association's power league tournament. PHOTO: RAJU V.

VIJAYAWADA: The cricketers of Vijayawada bade farewell to 2005 with mixed feelings. While some went bonkers over the resurrection of power league, the premium `A' division tournament organised by the Krishna District Cricket Association, many were dejected as not a single first class match was hosted in Vijayawada, which was once considered the hub of Andhra Cricket Association. Till a few years ago, KDCA `A' division league was the breeding ground for talent, offering the right mix of challenges for cricketers to stake claim to the Andhra team.

A long lull

"Ever since its inception in 1972, KDCA has been conducting several activities to groom young talent. But, for a couple of years, due to clash of inter-district and inter-zonal tournaments and dearth of playing grounds and funds, we were forced to cancel the premium `A' division contest. Thanks to Katragadda Madhusudhana Rao Trust, which is sponsoring the tournament, the contest is back," says KDCA joint secretary Koka Ramesh. For followers of city cricket, the re-entry of `A' division league was nostalgic for the tournament propelled many talented players to limelight.

Top four

The league, featuring all the 12 affiliated clubs from the district, has reached the climax with four top teams - Royal CC, Kondapalli CC, Andhra Blues and South Central Railway.

Keen to grab the attention of the selectors, cricketers are giving their best shot and leading the pack are players like P. K. Ayyappaswamy, who cracked two centuries and V.V.V. Appa Rao, who excelled as an all rounder by capturing around 20 wickets and scoring a ton. Sk. Hussain of CP XI also scored a century in the league format.

The achievers

Former Andhra Ranji skippers V.Vijayasaradhi, H. Ramakrishna, H. Ramkishen, N. Madhukar, late Johnny Cussak (medium pacers), S. Q. Syed Ali (left arm spinner), Ch. Sankar, S. Ramakrishna, Ch. Charan (opening batsmen), I. Srinivas, A. G. Prasad and A. G. Praveen are some of the city players, who went on to play for Andhra and South Zone. Disclosing future plans, Ramesh said that soon top two teams from `B' division would find their place in `A' division and last two teams in `A' division would be relegated to `B' division.

Not even Ranji

The city, which hosted official an official ODI between India and West Indies in 2002 and a three-day match Board President's XI and Zimbabwe in 2001, did not get even a Ranji contest last year. Says N. Venkata Rao, secretary, ACA: "KDCA spent lakhs of rupees to nurture the greenery at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium.

Now, the stadium looks bereft of green cover since other games too are played at the stadium. The BCCI is very particular about green cover, without which no Board matches will be staged."

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