To have wider pool, VCA mulls talent hunt for girls

NAGPUR: The ongoing U-23 One-day Women league hasn't panned out well for Vidarbha. They have managed just a solitary victory in their six matches and are just above Hyderabad and Tripura in the points table.


Despite failing consistently, Vidarbha aren't in position to change the combination as these players are the best they have.

Unlike some other states, Vidarbha don't have a larger pool of talent. In order to have larger pool of women players in every category, Vidarbha Cricket Association is considering conducting talent hunts in the city and across 11 districts.

"It's important to have competition for places, be it men or women team. Women cricket in the region is still in growing phase. You don't find many girls in city clubs and academy as compared to boys. We are thinking of organizing talent hunt for girls. The idea is still in early phase but we are serious about it," a VCA source told TOI.

VCA officials aren't happy with the performance of Under-23 girls in the ongoing One-day competition. Vidarbha side has nine players- Skipper Disha Kasat, Nupur Kohale, Saloni Allot, Minal Bodkhe, Vaishnavi Khandkar, Shivani Dharne, Gargi Wankar, Latika Inamdar and Ankita Bhongade - who were part of the Vidarbha senior side that played in the One-day and

Twenty20

league. However, only Latika and Disha could cross the 100-run mark and that too in six matches.

Sources said that head coach Anju Jain has worked very hard on girls. "She has been working on every aspect of their game. She is working both tactically and technically but it will take some time for girls to improve. She personally gives throw downs to all the batters and guide them how they can score. It's up to the girls to execute those plans during the match situations," he said.

Strike rate is one of the biggest issue with the girls. "When they play at the senior level, there are two three girls who do the job. One of them is Bharti (Fulmali). She and Disha are our mainstays of our batting line-up. In the absence of Bharti (who is over 23 years), Disha isn't getting enough support. All the girls have technique to occupy the crease but somehow they are still finding it hard to rotate the strike. When runs don't come, they try different things and lose their wickets," he said.

Another source who follows the women cricket with interest says VCA is providing quality facilities to girls. "They have organized exposure tours and have also invited different teams to play here. Chhattisgarh came here, while our girls went to Baroda. Girls have played 50-60 matches apart from their board matches. They have good coaches and support staff in every category. So whatever facilities association can provide, they are giving it. I feel only solution is to widen the pool and create competition. One of the things they can do is to have two girls team in Guzder 'C' Division League," said the source.

Vidarbha cricket is going through a golden phase. They have won eight trophies in the last 26 months in men's category. They have won trophies in Under-16, Under-19, Under-23 and senior level. Vidarbha Under-14 team has also done well consistently. Two Vidarbha cricketers - Bharti Fulmali and Komal Zanzad - are in the national set up. Wider pool will help women cricket in the region.