When local lad KL Rahul made a century on his one-day International debut at Harare, his cut-outs appeared all over Mangaluru and satellite towns.
There are over 250 cricket teams in Mangaluru. These teams 30-over matches everyday, for nine months a year with a monsoon break of three months.
These tournaments are organised according to professional standards. “They conform to all international cricketing rules, right from marking the crease to the uniforms of the teams, sledging within limits of decency,” says Ashwin Shetty, an organiser.
The season begins in October and goes on till the first monsoon showers in May. “By the time the season ends, each player would have played not less than 40 games. We take fitness seriously and have practice sessions at least thrice a week. However, since our grounds are not turf and have small pebbles, we advise our players against any diving lest they bruise their knees and elbows and are unavailable for the next fixture,” Shetty comments.
While the game follows all the accepted rules, it is played with a tennis ball. This form of cricket with underarm bowling is typical of coastal cricket. The bats are in the shape of a normal cricket bat, but is carved out of single piece of local wood and does not have a grip. Since it is a tennis ball, the batsmen and wicket-keeper do not have to wear guards. “This form of cricket is seen only in the coastal district,” Usman, captain of the Vinayaka cricket team of Shaktinagar said.
“Everyone in Mangaluru plays this type of cricket. Not long ago it was regarded as a poor relative of cricket — no nets for practice, no shining new leather ball, no special cricket shoes or willow bats. The situation has changed now and we have commentators, qualified umpires, players and an army of sponsors,” Usman adds pointing at his and other teams practising before the match at Urva grounds.
Talking about the crowds Shawn D’Souza of Ashoknagar team said the matches on weekends draw “decent crowds.”
Sunil Shetty a restaurant owner and prominent sponsor of these tournaments said, “I am amazed at the kind of response I get. Many people who had been to the grounds had noted my number and wanted know what was on the menu for dinner.”
Ratna, who runs a petty shop near Urva Grounds, says her business booms during the cricketing season when bottles of soft drink, packaged water, biscuits and other snacks fly off the shelves.
At present these tournaments are held only in one ground in the city. Efforts are on for permission from the City Corporation to lease grounds in different places in the city, says Shetty.