UAE team to participate in Meenatai Thackeray cricket tournament

Mumbai, May 3 (UNI) A team from the UAE will feature in the 6th Meenatai Thackeray Gold Cup 6-A-Side Invitation Cricket Tournament, which will be held in Mumbai on May 6.

The day-night tournament, organised by the Pandurangwadi Cricket Club, Goregaon has attracted a record 72 teams that includes last year's runners-up RCF, former champions Victory Cricket Club, Elf Vengsarkar Academy, Shivaji Park Gymkhana, Indian Oil, Air India and an Indian Invitation XI led by former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma.

But all eyes will be on the Arafat Cricketers, a team from UAE which will be participating in this tournament.

''We hope to get better with every passing year. Next year we have plans to invite Steve Waugh and Glen McGrath, while Sanath Jayasuriya has virtually confirmed his participation in 2008,'' revealed tournament convenor MP Mohan Rawle.

Some of the players to watch out for are, Nayan Mongia, Vivek Razdan, Gursharan Singh, Delhi Ranji player Abhinav Bali and another promising Delhi player Saurabh Tiwari.

The challenge from teams outside Mumbai will come from Aum Shruti CC (Ahmedabad), Sir Bhav Singhi CC (Bhavnagar), Rotary Club (Pune), Palghar Dahanu SC (Dahanu), Khopoli Cricket Association (Khopoli), Muslim Sports Association (Khed) and Jolly CC (Chinchani).

England cricketer Ravi Boppara, who was the find of the Poms in the World Cup, had last year played in the tournament for the World Cricket Academy, who were the champions.

The tournament will be played at the Police Gymkhana, Islam Gymkhana, P.J. Hindu Gymkhana and eight other grounds at Cross Maidan.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be played under floodlights at the Police Gymkhana.

The winners will receive Rs. 50,000 and a glittering Meenatai Thackeray gold trophy, while the runners-up will get Rs.35,000. In addition, the semi-finalists will receive Rs.10,000, while the 'Player of the Tournament', 'Best Batsman', 'Best Bowler' and 'Best Fielder' will receive Rs. 2,500 each.

Every 'sixer' hit will earn the batsman Rs. 100, while the top-scorer (100 runs and above) will receive Rs. 1,000.

UNI