“Develop the trait of perseverance to prove your worth. Sustain your hunger to perform; things don’t change in a day,” former India cricketer Hemang Badani told young cricketers on Sunday.
He was speaking at the annual day celebrations of Tiruchi District Cricket Association at National College here.
“Nothing stops one from playing cricket at higher levels. Are you inspired enough? Are you motivated enough to say I want to don the national colours? I will never believe that it is tough for cricketers in small towns to surface nationally,” Mr. Badani said.
“Though M.S. Dhoni did not hail from a major city, he is one of the icons of our country,” the former cricketer added.
Mr. Badani said the advent of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) had opened up enough opportunities for hardworking youngsters to display their capabilities.
He gave away the prizes in the presence of K.S. Viswanathan, CEO, Chennai Super Kings, S. Martin Raj, Assistant Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, and office bearers of the Tiruchi District Cricket Association.
Awards
First division: Winner: Golden Arrows Cricket Club; Runner-up: Bishop Heber College-B; Best batsman: C. Sarath Kumar (Dinamalar TVR Cricket Club); Best bowler: R. Nandakumar (Golden Arrows); Best all-rounder: C. Sarath Kumar; Promising youngster : M. Thamaraiselvan (Dinamalar TVR).
Second division: Winner: Kailasapuram Cricket Club; Runner-up: Supersonic Cricket Club; Best batsman: R. Kathiresan (Tiruchi United Cricket Club); Best bowler: R. Arjith (Campion Cricket Club); Best all-rounder: Mit Surati (National Institute of Technology).
Third division: Winner: Oxina Cricket Club; Runner-up: Jonians Cricket Club; Best batsman: S. Jeraldd (Oxina); Best bowler: S. Jeraldd; Best all-rounder: S. Jeraldd.
Fourth division: Winner: Bishop Heber College-A; Runner-up: Associated Cricket Club; Best batsman: S. Ram Prasath (Bishop Heber College-A); Best bowler: K. Kumaran (Tough Guys Cricket Club).
Fifth division: Winner: K.K. Nagar Cricket Club; Runner-up: Golden XI Cricket Club; Best batsman: T. Bhuvaneswaran (Rainbow Cricket Club); Best bowler: Roobalan (Tough Guys ‘A’ Cricket Club); Best all-rounder: B. Pradeep (K.K. Nagar Cricket Club).
Schools league: Winner: The Higher Secondary School for Boys, Srirangam; Runner-up: Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School; Best batsman: S. Suryanarayanan (The Higher Secondary School for Boys, Srirangam); Best bowler: P. Shiv Naren (Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School); Best all-rounder: M. Muhil Adithyan (Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School); Promising youngster: S. Ram Prasath (K.A.P. Viswanatham Higher Secondary School).
Schools knockout tournament: Winner: Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School; Runner-up: The Higher Secondary School for Boys, Srirangam.
Schools knockout tournament (up to Std. VIII): Winner: Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School; Runner-up: Kamala Niketan Montessori School.