Auckland based Sports Recreation and Outdoors Trust (Sprout) bagged its own Cricket Cup at the PCC-i T20 Tournament held at the Papatoetoe Cricket Club on December 29, 2010.
Sprout Captain Iftikar Ahmad said winning was not easy.
“While our Team represented Grade 3 of the Papatoetoe Cricket Club, a number of others had famous Auckland players. We knew that concentration, team spirit and good batting were the only steps to success.”
Fourteen-year old Gagandeep Singh, an upcoming all rounder, received the Trophy on behalf of the winning team.
Even as they were applauded, no one appeared to have expected the result but the situation changed after they trounced Team Xotic at the Semi-Final.
Sprout faced GreenFresh in the Final match.
It was a perfect finish to two days of entertaining T20 Cricket.
The victory of Team Sprout over Team Xotic in Semi-Final and Team GreenFresh in the Final was a miracle. On a placid track, the hosts overcame incisive bowling with brilliant batting, transforming a Tournament that had been closely fought into a magnificent contest of bat and ball.
The Team was pushed to victory with the sterling performances of its seasoned players such as Ravi Bains and Gagandeep Singh under a smart captain.
In the Final match, GreenFresh’s middle order, including bowlers, had played a crucial role in stretching the contest after the loss of two early wickets.
Jessi Singh played stylish Cricket, while Navdeep Bhans bowled accurate spins, gaining a hat trick in the Semi-Finals against Team Doabha Sports.
Jordan was the pick of Sprout bowlers, strangling GreenFresh’s run-flow with some great swing bowling.
The six participating teams accounted for 72 players.
Arif Ulla of Team Xotic and Navdeep Bhans of Team GreenFresh were declared respectively Best Batsman and Best Bowler of the Tournament.
Auckland Cricket Club President and former Black Cap was the Guest of Honour at the prize-giving ceremony.
“T20 Cricket has the potential to become an annual event of the Auckland Cricket Association. Sportspersons from the Indian community should use the facilities in the newly developed Sports Complex to play Cricket, Hockey and Tennis,” he said.
The organisers said the objective was to provide an opportunity to businesses to participate in sports and ‘give back something’ to the community. Xotic Sweets and Restaurant for instance, not only sponsored a team in its name but also provided food and beverages to officials and players at the two-day Tournament.
Among the other sponsors were Bikanervala Papatoetoe, Doabha Sports Club, GreenFresh, Panworld Travel Centre and Sprout.
If you are interested in being involved in future Tournaments as a player or sponsor, please email iftikharnz@hotmail.com or register online at www.papatoetoecricket.co.nz
