When S. Sankruth Sriram of JSS International School (Ooty) smashed a blazing unbeaten 486 against Hebron School in the Nilgiris DCA under-16 inter-school cricket tournament for the Azhar Hassan Memorial Rolling Trophy at Ooty on Monday, there were not many who recognised his historic feat.
Even the men in the middle (Dinesh and Subramani) and the scorers failed to realise that this young boy had indeed set a new record in a limited-overs game for schools in the country. They just watched in awe the 15-year-old belting the bowlers to all parts of the ground.
The Nilgiris District Cricket Association and the school management were greatly pleased that a boy from their region had scored 400-plus for the first time in its history but they were not too sure if he had set any new record.
But Indian statistician Mohandas Menon wrote to The Hindu saying it was a new record in a limited-overs game. He said the previous highest individual score was 334 not out by Nikhilesh Surendran for St. John’s Church Junior College against Brilliant Grammar School at the Parade Grounds in Hyderabad in October 2008. It was Boost Cup under-16 tournament organised by the Hyderabad Cricket Association. St. John’s Church Junior College innings lasted 43 overs.
Other recordsPrithvi Shaw of Rizvi Springfield School had set a new record in school cricket by smashing 546 in the Elite Division of the Harris Shield Cricket under-16 inter-school tournament at the Azad Maidan last year. But that was scored in two days. It was in the same ground and in the same Harris Shield tournament that Sachin Tendulkar (326 not out) and Vinod Kambli (349 not out) shared a 664-run partnership for Sharadashram Vidyamandir in February 1988.
Sankruth also stitched an unbeaten 605-run stand with S. Dhanush Priyan (70 n.o.) for the opening wicket, which lasted 40 overs. However, Menon clarified that the highest team score in a limited overs game was 721 for no loss in 40 overs by St. Peter’s High School versus St. Philips during an inter-school tournament in Secunderabad in November 2006.
“We have had centuries in the inter-schools tournament but this was something unique,” said H. Jaiprakash, the NDCA’s Honorary Secretary.
“It was an amazing innings. Frankly speaking, I expected him to score a double century but he doubled my expectations,” said Rennie Mendonce, the Principal of the School.
“I am very happy with this knock. I wanted him to concentrate on his studies but now I realise it is time to encourage him in cricket,” said Sreeram Aiah, Sankruth’s father.
