Railways and Baroda have a lot at stake

By Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI, APRIL 16. Playing for job and looking for jobs. The finalists in this season's Ranji Trophy have priorities very different from the rest. They have a lot in common though but one striking aspect of their cricket is their desire for recognition.

Quite a few cricketers in the Baroda team are jobless, including the senior most member of the side, Nayan Mongia, who has not been paid salary for six months now by his employer, Mafatlal. Skipper Jacob Martin and a couple more have a steady job with the Gujarat State Fertilisers Corporation. The rest, Mongia informs, earn a `princely' sum Rs. 1000 a month from IPCL for their professional appearances in office matches. ``There is a lot of insecurity on this front,'' says Mongia.

What of Railways? A job yes, but few incentives. In accordance with the laid down policy, Railways recruitments are made only in Group `C' and `D'. Lack of incentives is the bane of Railway cricket. ``We motivate them as much as possible and push for their promotions and cash awards,'' asserts Mr. K. Shankar, the joint-secretary of the Railway Sports Promotion Board. Medium- pacer Zakir Hussain does not fall in this category as he takes home only Rs. 950 a month, what with the Northern Railway sitting over his promotion file.

For the Railway cricketer, the lure of a job and some perks, which include unreserved travelling for matches at times, matters a lot. The players have been drawn from Madhya Pradesh (Santosh Sahu and Raja Ali), Karnataka (Yere Goud), Punjab (Harvinder Singh and Tejinder Pal Singh), Mumbai (Sanjay Bangar, Amit Pagnis and Shreyas Khanolkar). There is talk of Amay Khurasiya wanting to join the Railways.

Kulamani Parida, son of a woodcutter, has come a long way. He has earned respect from the established batsmen on the circuit and has served the team well in the absence of left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who has played only one match for his team this season. ``We have not missed Kartik really,'' said coach, Mr. Vinod Sharma.

Harvinder (18 wickets) has worked on his fitness and is looking ahead for a recall to the National side. Sanjay Bangar (482 runs and nine wickets) has been consistent. Also Abhay Sharma (479 runs), Sahu (391 runs), Goud (816 runs), Pagnis (596 runs). The batting has plenty of depth indeed.

This Railways team is a modest bunch. Not all are officer grade, some even wait at the gates checking tickets. The training facilities may be archaic and accommodation during camps poor but nothing detracts them from their mission. ``The Railways team always plays with a one point programme to prove it itself,'' says Mr. Vinod Sharma. The motto is simple : Do well to get noticed. Getting noticed is the biggest incentive for the Railway cricketers.

Baroda and Railways do not figure in the list of elite on the domestic circuit. Lack of support from all quarters is what hurts these two teams most even though it speaks well for the game that none of the last year's semifinalists made it to the penultimate round this season.

It has been an arduous journey for Baroda and Railways. Finishing third in the zonal league, Baroda improved considerably in the knockout stage, winning against Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Orissa. ``We played all the knockout matches at home and that was a great advantage,'' Mongia pointed out. Railways too had a splendid time. Second in the zonal league, it rolled over fancied teams like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Punjab. ``The boys have produced wonderful cricket and I am really proud of them,'' said Mr. Vinod Sharma.

Baroda has made it to the final after 43 years. ``I think it is quite creditable of this lot to have progressed this far. We have been doing well for the past so many years. The strength of our team is the way in which each member has contributed,'' Mongia pointed out.

Railways skipper Abhay Sharma, who made his debut in 1992-93, had a similar opinion of his team. ``We have done well because each individual has maintained a certain level of consistency. The dedication is to be seen to be believed and the tactical planning has been too good. We discuss the opponents as much as we analyse ourselves. We have played as a team, wanting to win without thinking of the rewards'' emphasised Abhay, who must be in the reckoning for a spot in the bigger league, going by his excellent performances this season.

``The boys have worked very hard,''informed Abhay and added ``our bowlers have done an excellent job and the batsmen have supported them. The fielding has been outstanding.

We have all that a good side needs to have. Each player has stuck to his job.'' A nice blend of experience and youth has carried Railways to its second final ever, the last time being in 1987-88 when it lost to Tamil Nadu.

When the Railways top order has failed, the tail has wagged with Santosh Sahu hitting two centuries batting at No. 8. ``The lower half has frustrated the opponents and I'm happy that it has performed consistently to raise the hopes of a win in the final,'' said Vinod Sharma.

The coach has whipped the Railways team into believing in itself. ``I can say with pride that Railways is the best fielding side in domestic circuit. We are the most consistent too. None gave us a chance but the boys have proved a point,'' said Mr. Vinod Sharma, who came up with the idea of promoting Tejinder Pal Singh to number three.

The left-arm spinner from Amritsar has contributed handsomely at the top. ``As a left- hander, he can counter the outswingers well and to me he has emerged a reliable all-rounder,'' the coach said. Tejinder's form has fetched him 24 wickets and 349 runs this season.

Sanjay Bangar, a senior member, agreed ``Tejinder has been a tremendous force. In fact, everyone has toiled. The team concentrates on a collective assault. Our strength lies in each player chipping in.''

Baroda too claims contribution from each player as an asset.``Every player in the team has been keen. The team has been very focussed and I must say that this is the best Baroda team I have seen. The players are so confident,'' Mongia, with 506 runs in nine Ranji innings, disclosed.

Baroda has had a rich culture for the game and a past where names like Vijay Hazare, Chandu Borde, R. B. Nimbalkar, W. N. Ghorpade and D. K. Gaekwad tended the nursery which has now flowers of glorious variety. Winner in 1942-43, 1946-47, 1949-50 and 1957- 58, Baroda is now seeking glory with active support from various quarters.

D. K. Gaekwad takes care of the academy which runs all through the year. ``This camp is of immense help because in Baroda we don't have good quality tournaments. The emphasis is on disciplined practice and we get it at Mr. Gaekwad's camp,'' said Mongia.

A helping hand is lent by former India coach Aunshuman Gaekwad and former Test stumper Kiran More too chips in with his wisdom.

The Baroda team may have limited sources but the fire to excell is what propels the players to raise their game in crunch situations. Cricketers like Valmik Buch (28 wickets), Jacob Martin (569 runs), Tushar Arothe (433 runs), Connor Williams (622 runs) and Satyajit Parab (668 runs) have been the most consistent performers for Baroda.

Buch, with his crafty left-arm spin, and seamer Rakesh Patel have borne the brunt of the bowling in the absence of Zaheer Khan. The hardworking Patel, with 32 wickets, is said to be a frontrunner for a place in the Indian side for the tour to Zimbabwe.

It is the unsung, but dedicated, approach of teams like Baroda and Railways which enriches domestic cricket and keeps alive the competitive spirit. These teams may not be great crowd pullers but they too have a place for themselves.

A week from now one of them will be crowned the champion team and the other shall renew its resolve to become one the next season, with the same diligence and greater tenacity.

There are two set of players in India. One set which pursues the game to make two ends meet and rarely progresses beyond the domestic circuit, and the other which forgets domestic cricket once it tastes the glamour of the international arena.

Railways and Baroda have a lot at stake. A decent show here might fetch a few Baroda players a job somewhere. For the Railway cricketers, a triumph here might mean a hard-earned promotion. For these teams, cricket is playing for job and looking for jobs.

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