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Laurels yet again

A blend of youth and experience contributed to Chemplast Sanmar's victory in The Hindu Trophy final

MOMENT OF PRIDE (From left) Vijay Sankar, Director, Sanmar, N. Sankar, chairman, Sanmar group, and N. Kumar, vice-chairman, with the trophies won by Chemplast Sanmar

Chemplast Sanmar ruled under the lights at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on April 20, sweeping past India Pistons by 96 runs in the final of The Hindu Trophy. The victory marked Chemplast's fourth triumph in a limited overs competition this season. In an outstanding run, the city outfit had earlier claimed the Moin-ud-Dowlah, the Canara Bank and the Mumbai Cricket Association's Corporate tournaments.

Despite losing players to injuries and other commitments, Chemplast has displayed much depth and resilience to script wins. It has stayed focussed and found the right answers to searching questions.

The blend of youth and experience, the cornerstone of Chemplast's successes, was visible in The Hindu Trophy final. Young opener Subramania Siva sparkled with a strokeful 90 and then seasoned paceman Tinu Yohannan made early dents from which Pistons never recovered.

Emerging stronger

There have also been a few disappointments for Chemplast this season — seeing its team Jolly Rovers' vice-like grip (it won five successive titles) on the Palayampatti Shield in the SPIC-TNCA first division league broken by Vijay CC and going down in the summit clash of the V. A. Parthasarathy Trophy to MRF — but the side has emerged stronger from the setbacks.

Says N. Sankar, chairman, Sanmar group, "We have missed L. Balaji, R. Jesuraj and R. Ramkumar due to injuries. S. Badrinath has been picked for India `A'. Dinesh Mongia was away in England (Mongia was busy in the English county circuit). But we have found the men for the occasion." Significantly, all these cricketers were missing when Chemplast clinched The Hindu Trophy.

Mr. Sankar remembers watching the Canara Bank final on television from Kodaikanal. Soon a smile lights up his face. "We won an exciting final." That was a match where Chemplast, defending 223, dismissed the star studded Indian Airlines for 187 in Bangalore, with the wily and ageless Diwakar Vasu striking with his left-arm spin. On the field, the side has fought and fielded well.

New additions

New additions to the side, Vasanth Saravanan and R. Satish have excelled, says Mr. Sankar: "They have added to the group."

Saravanan made 73 against India Cements in the Moin-ud-Dowlah final in Hyderabad, while Satish rattled up a hectic match-winning 89 at the expense of the ONGC attack in the MCA Corporate final in Mumbai.

Mr. Sankar is particularly impressed with R. Satish, a natural striker of the ball, an outstanding fielder and a handy bowler. "He is really good material. Has the potential to go all the way," he said.

Apart from contributing with the willow — he made 126 in the Moin-ud-Dowlah final — Chemplast's smooth-stroking captain Hemang Badani has rung in the changes shrewdly and displayed exemplary man-management skills.

In fact, the side could have had more trophies on its shelves had it not found itself at the wrong end of the `toss' in the rain-affected third round of the KSCA tournament against Indian Airlines and lost the final of the KSCA's Twenty\20 tournament to the `Bowl Out' rule after Chemplast and KSCA finished level on points.

Chemplast's General Manager, Sports Coordinator, and former India stumper Bharath Reddy has played his role. "He scouts for talent and organises our cricket. He is a great judge of ability. Some years ago, he came to me with Harbhajan Singh, Debasis Mohanty and Harvinder Singh. I had not heard much about them and was taken aback slightly. I asked Bharat, `Are they really good?' He replied, `Yes.' Within a year, all three of them were picked for India," recalls Mr. Sankar.

This season young pacemen Jesuraj and A. Avinash have progressed well. The team has a committed coach in former South Zone batsman Abdul Jabbar, while cricket-in-charge K. Ram Mohan, who represented Tamil Nadu as wicket-keeper batsman, comprehends the game's nuances. And fitness trainer Basu has made the boys sweat at the quaint IIT-Chemplast ground.

Alwarpet, Chemplast's second team in the first division, is generally where the youngsters are given an opportunity first. "We acquired Alwarpet since it had name, history and character," says Mr. Sankar. He has fond memories of V.A. Parthasarathy, who was the club's affable and energetic secretary, before his death this year.

And Mr. Sankar lets out a little secret. "My all-time favourite cricketer was K. R. Rajagopal. He was such a lovely striker of the ball."

He points out that the corporates have contributed much to State cricket. Mr. Sankar expects more heroics from Chemplast Sanmar in the seasons ahead.

S. DINAKAR

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