1. Presentation for Restructuring of Existing
Maidan Club Tournaments
Ravi Savant
President

2.  Firstly, let me make it clear that MCA is always grateful to the
various Tournament Organising Committees, who introduced
and Organised tournaments from time to time to help and
develop Mumbai Cricket so far.
 Not to forget that Because of these Tournaments, cricket in
Mumbai became strong and the Mumbai became life line for
the supply of great Cricketers to the country, till recently.
 There was time when Mumbai had total supremacy and was
boasting of seven to eight players in playing eleven of Indian
team.

3.  The famous Dr. H D Kanga League, one of such tournaments
was introduced to prepare players to play in particularly wet
and heavy whether conditions to get acclimatise to the
atmosphere in England when on Tour.
 The notable peculiar feature was to play on uncovered pitches
because in those days the pitches were not covered and were
exposed to all atmosphere and whether conditions.
 It may be noted that for 2009-10 and 2010-11 there were no
results and therefore for 2011-12 the Kanga League was
started on 15th August. Thus the Kanga League also underwent
changes like from 8 balls over to 6 balls over, from May start to
July start to August start.

4.  Over the years the number of tournaments have gone up to more
than hundred which is a quantity mismatched to the available days
and available grounds to accommodate all those tournaments in one
season and has a bad effect on the quality of grounds, the game and
standard of cricketers.
 It is becoming difficult to follow, coordinate and compile a
comparable performance data of players due to knock out formats.
 We must also remember that over the years, the game of cricket has
undergone lot of changes and accordingly the ICC and BCCI has also
been making changes in the style and formats of the game from time
to time .

5.  Presently, more than hundred tournaments are played on
knockout basis.
 The Cricketing seasons of Mumbai starts in July with Kanga
League. Other tournaments played thereafter, invariably finish
in to first week of June.
 Thus with the extended cricket season which leaves no time
for maintenance of grounds, thereby the quality of pitches
has deteriorated.

6.  Since, the ICC and BCCI matches are played on covered pitches,
the significance & very purpose of Kanga League is lost.
 Due to continuous International seasons, the test and ODI
players are not available for Kanga League. Ranji and first class
players go to play county cricket to England. Since the first
class players are not available for Kanga league, that incentive
of playing with India and Mumbai players is not there for
youngsters, as it was in past.
 Thus the youngsters are discouraged to play in Kanga League.

7.  Further the increased cost of cricket equipments like shoes and
Bats, discourage the players to play in inconsequential Kanga
League Tournament.
IN CASE OF OTHER TOURNAMENTS:
 Due to large number of tournaments and limited days and
grounds, there is overlapping of the tournaments.
 There is clashing of matches in two different tournaments of the
same team due to knockout nature of tournaments.
 Due to knockout nature of the tournaments, a player, after his
team losing in earlier rounds does not get fair chance to show
his talent.
 Mumbai need good bowlers. With knockout format bowlers do
not get sufficient opportunity as losing team bowlers go out of
tournament and winning team do not experiment with new
bowlers.

8.  As one such bad performance can ruin player’s chances for the
seasons. Also, where a player has performed and team has lost has
no other chance over his competitor, where his competitor after
getting more chances could perform, though may not be of same
class.
 The other difficulty is in some cases, grounds are booked much in
advance and tournament draws are taken out just week before,
which makes it difficult for availability of grounds, which further
upset next tournament schedule
 Thus with bad pitches, limited chances and difficulty in placing the
dates for tournaments, incomparable data for selection, presently
MCA is happy to end the season and continue for the new season
in routine manner, year after year.

9. Therefore, the only solution to all the problems is the change
in present knock out format of the tournaments and go for a
League format.
But then what happens to the age old shields, trophies and
cups?
Should we just scrape them which has served Association so
well over the years and till recently?
THE ANSWER IS “NO”
We shall maintain all the names of the tournaments and the
shields, cups and trophies to continue with due respect.

10.  It is suggested that all the maidan club tournaments shall be
divided in to two leagues viz.
 ELITE LEAGUE
 PLATE LEAGUE
 All the clubs presently playing in Dr H D Kanga League Shall
continue to play in Elite League which may be called DR. H D
KANGA ELITE LEAGUE.
 All other Maidan Clubs which are in Kanga knock out will play
in MCA PLATE LEAGUE.

11.  The kanga league divisions are maintained as they are at present
except that instead of calling them A B C D E F G divisions, all the
divisions may be named after all senior Tournaments.
 The Kanga elite league will start from September and shall be
played continuously on all week ends without break.
 The A B C divisions are proposed to be played on one and half
day duration.
 All other divisions D E F G shall be on one day basis.

12.  The promotion and relegations in ELITE LEAGUE will be as usual
except last five (four?) teams in Last division will go to plate
league and five (four?) new teams will be promoted from plate
league.
 All the matches can be scheduled and calendar with Grounds
allotments shall be published in April every year for plot holders
and Gymkhanas to know their cricket engagements six months
in advance.
 The entire programme can be completed in three and half
month time. From mid September to mid November and then
mid January to end February, with mid November to mid
January, two months window for school college and age group
cricket, except may be for under 25 group.

13.  The Knock out teams which are 130 jn numbers, can play in
plate league and are divided in to ten groups of 13 teams
each.
 The teams may be divided on the basis of area e.g. south
Mumbai, Central Mumbai, Andheri – Borivali, Borivali – Virar,
Virar – Dahanu, Sion - Navi Mumbai , Thane– Kalyan, Kalyan -
Badlapur etc.
 Each group can be named after existing tournaments like
summer, Cosmo, Bapat, Thosar etc., depending on area.
 Each group accordingly can be handed over to the respective
tournaments committees to organise.

14.  The far off groups like Virar Dahanu shall play all their
respective league matches in the same area, thereby
eliminating concentration of grounds, reducing travelling
time of players and thereby taking game to all corners of our
area of jurisdiction.
 All the tournaments can start simultaneously from November
and shall complete in next three months in twelve Sundays
more precisely.
 All ten group champions will play five knockout matches and
five winners will go to Elite League.

15. The advantages of suggested League format :
1. All the Maidan Clubs may be divided in groups which will
get a chance to play minimum Twelve League matches.
Therefore, one bad day will not affect the whole year of a
player or of a team.
2. Since the tournaments are scheduled to start from
September and will be over by 31st March, the matches shall
be played on good and proper pitches.
3. Due to Knock out structures, the players who used to prefer
to play for the clubs, who have more chances to qualify for
championship which promoted concentration of good
bowlers and Batsmen with few teams only there by reducing
healthy competition.
4. The league format will promote good competitions between
batsman and bowlers due to good spread of players.

16. 5. The League format enables to print fixtures for the entire year
well in advance. So that the players administrations, umpires
and support staff can plan their vacations, family and social
engagements in advance.
This also applies to the grounds, partly used for the purposes
other than cricket like marriages. Such grounds can make the
booking for grounds for other purposes accordingly once
cricket calendar is informed to them in advance.
6. Due to advance planning, the yearly festivals and celebrations
like Ganesh
chaturti, Darshera, Ijetma, Diwali, Edd, Ambedhkar Jayanti etc.
are already accommodated in the cricket calendar, so that
players can enjoy the festivals with families.
7. Possible to find central sponsor and group sponsor as there
are continuous and repeated appearances of same players.

17.  The plot holders will get proper time for maintaining and
laying out cricket pitches and with whole monsoon to settle
the new pitches, which will give quality pitches throughout
the year.
 Due to League format, the quality of competitions between
the teams shall be highest as the players are tested against
the same quality players in the other teams in the same
division. For e. g. One batsman will face all the good bowlers
of the same standard and bowlers shall be tested against all
the good batsman of the same class. This does not happen in
knockout format
 All the old names of shields can retained and the various
tournament committees can still continue to function with
new formats by adopting groups or divisions.

18. This will give us some time to plan MPL in
February/ March just before IPL so that the local
players will get chance to show there talent and to
get selected for IPL as per recent amended BCCI
policy.
There will be enough time for other mislleneous
Tournaments in March /April and the MCA cricket
season can end by end of April, which will give
time for maintenance of grounds and proper
holydays for players and secretaries.

19. THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH WE MAY HAVE TO
FACE:
 We need all the grounds for these seven to eight months
continuously, which few plot holders may object . But in that
case those plot holders not giving grounds will have to sacrifice
the benefits receivable from the MCA as affiliated members and
same benefits can be extended to the others non-affiliated
clubs who have grounds.
 Number of new grounds will have to be explored and long term
agreements with them may have be entered and may be MCA
will require to give some assistance by way of services of
curators as well as will have to fund their expenses in part or
fully.
 The tournament committee may face difficulty in handling the
increased number of matches, if the members do not use
computers extensively.

20.  Same format can be replicated for office clubs and matches
can be played on week days, without bothering to coincide
with BCCI calendar.
 Should start A B C divisions of present times shield
tournaments from September without break and irrespective of
BCCI tournament dates.
 For lower divisions also league with minimum seven matches
can be planned, to increase office cricket.
 In case of A division Office tournament, the same can be
started in September, where we need four grounds which can
be covered by supplying covers to those grounds, in case the
rain extends.

21. MCA PLATE LEAGUE
Group 1
Dashing Sports Club
Garfield Sports Club (Dahisar)
White Star Cricket Club
Our’s Cricket Club
Madhukar G. Vartak Memorial
S. C.
Young Stars Akton C. Club -
Vasai
Mahyavanshi Cricket Club
Rattlers Cricket Club
Apollo Youngsters
Brothers Club
Gay Cavaliers Cricket Club
Kerrawala Windsor Cricket Club
Mulund Challengers C. C.
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
Group 2
(Kalyan-Thane)
Thane Sporting Club
Thane Friends Union C.C.
United Sports Club (Thane)
Daiwadnya Cricket Club
Mandvi Muslim Sports Club
Royal Cricket Club
Modern Cricket Club
Dombivali Cricket Club
Union Cricket Club (Kalyan)
Duru Cricket Club
Prime Group Cricket Club
Bhiwandi Taluka C.A.
Deccan Cricket Club - Kalyan
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
Group 3
(Borivali-Vile Parle)
Young Men’s Cricket Club
St. Mary’s Cricket Club
Jolly Friends Cricket Club
Jaideep Cricket Club
Young National Cricket Club
Vijaychandra Cricket Club
Kansara Cricket Club
Rocket Cricket Club
S.K.P. Athletic Club
Prabhodhan Goregaon
Rajawadi Cricket Club
Vile Parle Sports Club
Cricket Club of Andheri

22. MCA PLATE LEAGUE
Group 4
(Vile Parle-Bandra)
Aiming Master Cricket Club
Aarey Cricket Club
Merry Cricketers
Star Cricket Club Bandra (East)
Challengers Cricket Club
Crescent Cricket Club
(Andheri)
Young Stars Cricket Club
(Thane)
Indian Dynamic Cricket Club
Pathare Prabhu Cricketers
J. Bhatia Sports Club
Bandra Gymkhana
Gaud Union Sports Club
Young Friends Union C. C.
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 5
(Bandra-Parel)
K.R.P.XI Cricket Club
Young Men’s Muslim
Association
Sporting Union Club
Youths Own Union Cricket
Club
Jaico Cricket Club
Eleven 77 Sports Club
Gomantak Daiwadnya C.C.
Milton Cricket Club
Kridarang Cricket Club
Young Parsee Cricket Club
Mohan Cricket Club
Friends Sports Club
Baronet Cricket Club
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 6
(Matunga-Shivaji Park-
Worli)
Shree Matunga Gujarati
Seva Mandal
Worli Cricket Club
Sports Promotion Group
(Mumbai)
Dilip Vengsarkar
Foundation
Hind Sevak Cricket Club
Bengal Club
Bombay Wanderers
Dadar Cricket Club
Glorius Cricket Club
Kshatriya Union Club
Parsee Pioneer C. C.
Adarsh Cricket Club
Swastik Cricket Club
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 7
(Kharghar-Sion)
Union Cricket Club
Achiever’s Sports Club
Poisar Bros. Sports Club
Chembur Gymkhana
Shri Shivaji Cricket Club
Friends Union Sports Club
Mangrol Sports Club
Blue Star Cricket Club
Old Podarites Cricket Club
Indian Gymkhana Ltd.
Anushakti Nagar Spts & Rec. Club
Navi Mumbai Sports Club
Mazgaon Cricket Club

23. MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 8
(South Mumbai)
Patan Cricket Club
Paramount Cricket Club
Anjuman I Islam Instite S. C.
Bombay Gymkhana Ltd.
Fort Youngsters
Muslim Sports Club
Shahpur Spencer Challenge Shield
Souvenir C.C.
EMA Cricket Club
Friends Cricketers
Stylo Cricketers
Swatantra Cricket Club
Young Association Cricket Club
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 9
(South Mumbai)
Crown Cricket Club
Hansoty Bros. Sports Club
Morarjee Velji C. C.
Bhatia Sports Club
Bombay Union Sports Club
Errant Cricketers
Kshatriya Cricket Club
New Era Cricket Club
United XI Cricket Club
Young Boy’s Cricket Club
Young Men’s Christian Ass
Young Social Cricket Club
Jolly Brother Sports Club
MCA PLATE LEAGUE
ONE DAY
Group 10
(South Mumbai)
Youth Cricket Club
Palanpur Cricket Club
Crescent Cricket Club
Diamond Star Cricket Club
Oriental C. C.
Our Own Club
Shastri Hall Cricket Club
Combined Cricket Club
V. S. T. Gymkhana
New Social Union Cricket Club
S. F. Sassanian Cricket Club
Young Zorastrian Cricket Club
Sunrise Cricket Club

24. Every thing is possible, if we start thinking out
of box and there is a will to change according
to demand of time without fear. Shortly, the
world will follow you.
Thanks.!!!!
Thanks are due to all my MCA committee members for giving inputs from
time to time and all those who volunteered to help me in collecting data are
Mr. Shrikant Tigdi, Mr. Shirish Mallapurkar, Mr. Arman Mallick and Mr.
Vikram Vaidya for preparing this presentation and all those who brain
stormed knowingly or unknowingly and gave inputs for this presentation.
Ravi Savant
President