CHANDIGARH: The UT Cricket Association (UTCA) on Wednesday conducted trials of 69 players, who turned up for the selection of women’s cricket teams for all categories for the upcoming domestic season.
The trials were conducted under the supervision of UTCA manager (operations) Manjit Singh at the Tricity Sports Academy, Peermuchalla in Zirakpur. Also present during the trials were the three selectors Anup Sondhi, Ravindra Nain and Kanwar Virdi along with last season’s team manager Indu Gupta.
According to Singh, the board had received a total of 101 applicants across all categories of U-19, U-23 and senior team, out of which only 69 players turned up. Among them were 36 girls in the U-19 category, 26 for U-23 (which is now U-25) while seven of the senior categories showed their strength.
He expressed his satisfaction at the way women’s cricket was gradually picking up in the UT, and said most of the U-23 girls would have a great opportunity to get promoted to the senior side.
“It’s a good number. I would say a good sign for Chandigarh cricket. In the previous season, only three girls turned up for the senior team trials while this year we had seven. In U-23, we had 13 girls earlier and this year the number has gone up to 36. So it will present a great opportunity to the girls in U-23 to perform and get promoted to the senior team,” Singh told TOI.
He, however, confirmed that there were no cricketers from neighbouring states appearing in the trials, and the focus would be mainly on building a pool of Chandigarh girls, representing the team.
“No there weren’t any from other teams, we are looking at grooming a pool of young talented girls from Chandigarh to take the team forward. Last season we had many cricketers coming from the age group sides and this year too we are hoping the same way,” he said.
UTCA president Sanjay Tandon also expressed his satisfaction over the two-day trial programme, while adding that the city cricket association would soon conduct trials for the remaining categories of boys.
