Ranatunga hails Bhatia's contribution to cricket

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga hailed the selfless contribution made by people like Shyam Bhatia for the benefit of cricket during an awards ceremony in Dubai.

"As a cricketer, administrator and now a politician, I know how difficult it is. We need people like Shyam Bhatia because it is an expensive sport," said the World Cup winning captain who was guest of honour at the 13th Shyam Bhatia awards which recognised the achievement of UAE's top cricketers.

Organised by the Dubai Cricket Council, it was also attended by Emirates Cricket Board members and former cricketers like India's Sunil Gavaskar, Pakistan's Mudassar Nazar and Dayle Hadlee of New Zealand. International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat was also present.

Ranatunga stressing the importance of felicitating young cricketers, said: "I still can remember when I got my first award as a junior cricketer from the former Sri Lanka captain Michael Tissera. I still have those memories."

He also urged players to treasure the achievement of representing one's country.

"We played cricket with passion for the country. When you wear cap or blazer, you will be producest man on earth," he said.

Bhatia, who gave cash totalling Dh26,000 to the winners in the different categories, urged for UAE to become professional.

"We are the only country which does not have professional players. It's the right time to have in the UAE team. For this the support of private companies is required," he said.

He also called for more local tournaments and exposure in the region to develops the skills of players.

"Academies and coaching camps does not produce players," said Bhatia whose Cricket for Care programme provides gear to under privileged and needy children around the world.

He also proposed that competitions for children be held over a longer duration instead of 20 overs.

"We have lot of school tournaments in Dubai but our boys play only 20 overs. I saw two wonderful centuries scored in the 35-over final of the Cricket for Care Under-15 tournament. It was fantastic. Everybody wants to play 40 over cricket next time," he said.

Thanking Ranatunga for attending the event, he said: "I am happy that I have managed to get a legend to give away the awards every year. Ranatunga this year made it the fourth World Cup-winning captain to present these awards." Clive Lloyd, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev were the other three.

"Captain Cool is the face of Sri Lanka cricket. Nobody can deny that. He was the pioneer of the tactic to hit over the top in the first 15 overs which saw (Sanath) Jayasuriya and (Romesh) Kaluwitharane revolutionising the game during the 1996 World Cup," said Bhatia.

Ranatunga in reply quipped: "It's nice to hear some lovely words about me. I was Mr sri Lanka cricket till I shifted to the opposition."

Gavaskar Gavaskar added there was a "feel good" factor when you a see a winner being felicitated and urged the award winners to raise their game without sitting on their laurels.

"Keep raising the bar next season by scoring more runs or taking more wickets to become a top player," he said.

Shaimon Anwar Butt of Yogi Group, who had a remarkable aggregate of 1,343 runs in A division tournaments, received the coveted best batsman award. Two William Harare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana players bagged the awards for best bowler and best all-rounder.
 
Asim Kurshid, who scored 477 runs and took 17 wickets, won the best all-rounder award, while Mohammad Rehan scooped the best bowler award for taking 24 wickets.

Varun Totadri, who steered G Force Cricket Academy to a second triumph in the Cricket for Care Inter Academy tournament, received the best junior cricketer award along with his academy teammate Shorye Chopra, who claimed the award for the second successive year.

"Last year I raised the level by quite a distance. To get (the award) from Arjuna is even better. I'll surely remember this," said Varun who has ambitions of playing for India," said Varun.

"I used to bowl a lot more but it was Gopal Jaspara who exposed me to genuine pace bowling and made me open the innings," added Varun who is a southpaw and looks up to Daniel Vettori and Michael Hussey as his role models," said the 15-year-old from Chennai.

Muaz Qazi won the award for the best junior cricketer from Abu Dhabi.

Bhatia also included a new Lifetime Achievement award at the event, with UAE's most experienced umpire Tariq Butt becoming the first recipient of this.
 
The best women cricketer of the year award went to UAE's left-arm pacer Samiya Salim Sanghati.

"I'm excited and happy because I didn't expect to win this award," said Sanghati who has been playing in the UAE national team for four years now.

"It's been a great journey which started with Young Talents Academy. I have two goals: to become a mechanical engineer and want to try my luck for India too," she added.
 
In the B division, Nucaf Tellicherry's captain CTK Mashood, who took 20 wickets, bagged the best bowler award, while his teammate Prajakat Chauhan, who scored 324 runs and took 11 wickets, took home the best all-rounder award.
 
Amjad Javed, of Fly Emirates, won the best batsman award for his 312 runs.

Finally, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Illyas, Akbar Ali Khan and B. M Abdullah were adjudged the best umpires from Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai and Sharjah respectively

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