N. Harissh was the toast of the team as Tiruvallur emerged victorious in the inter-district under-16 tournament, for the P.R. Thevar Trophy, recently.
The left-arm spinner was in his element right through the campaign, particularly during the semi-final (seven for 72 & three for 30) and final (six for 27 & four for 46).
About his dream spells, the 11th standard student of Sethu Bhaskara MHSS said: “I assess a batsman’s approach and mindset before plotting his dismissal. I also try to flight the ball as far as possible. I am glad that my efforts paid off.”
M.C. Murali, one of the coaches at Stumped Cricket Foundation where Harissh trains, said: “He mixes it up nicely. Apart from the classical left-armer’s delivery, he bowls the faster one and the ball that goes the other way. He is a bright prospect.”
Skipper and left-handed opener Adithya Venkatesh was another consistent performer for Tiruvallur, hammering hundreds and leading the side with pluck and panache. “I was fresh going into the tournament and that helped a lot. I prefer the two-day games as they will prepare me for the next level,” said Adithya, who is a big fan of Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey.
The tournament, which consists of a sprint (one-day 50-over games) as well as a marathon (two-day matches of 90- and 40-over duration in the two innings) has produced quality players, and also made it a level-playing field. Dr. R.N. Baba, secretary, Tiruvallur District Cricket Association (TDCA), said: “With the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association organising inter-district tournaments at the under-14, 16, 19 and 23 age levels, a fresh pool of talent has emerged.
The system has provided good exposure to boys from the districts and they no longer show any fear while taking on the big teams.”
He felt that the longer version has made the players focus on the basics and learn to never give up.
“Previously, once a side was bowled out cheaply or lost the first-innings race, shoulders would droop. However, the tweak in the format has made the players realise that there is a chance of a comeback,” said Dr. Baba.
This is precisely what happened to Tiruvallur in its last
-four encounter against Coimbatore. After conceding a 24-run lead, the former skittled out its opponent for 93 in the second essay and went on to win by four wickets. R. Rajaguru (46 not out) was the hero, guiding Tiruvallur home in a tense finish.
However, the final against Tirupur turned one-sided once captain Adithya threw the ball to Harissh.
