Matches played: 7; Runs: 130; Wickets: 6; Catches: 2; Awards: Man of the Match in the final
Right-handed batsman and right arm medium pacer Sailendu Mohanty is an indispensable member of team Ball Busters. He is what Hardik Pandya is to Mumbai Indians. His all-round performance last season won his team the Uchha Sahi Premier League. Welcome to ‘Gully Premier League.’
Indian Premier League (IPL), the sporting extravaganza organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, has not only reshaped the cricketing landscape, but also changed the concept of entertainment. Odisha may not yet have an IPL team, but cricket fanatics don’t mind that. Every year in April, as IPL gets underway, cricket fever grips Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, thanks to local T10 tournaments like Uccha Sahi Premier League, Hanspal Premier League and Jhola Sahi Premier League, which have given gully cricket a boost in the last few years.
Interestingly, not one or two, but as many as 60 such leagues are played just in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar during April and May. The leagues, mostly organised by local clubs with the support of volunteers and sponsors, put up a series of matches as entertaining as the IPL. And the players are treated as no less than stars.
“Cricket unites Indians like nothing else. In Cuttack, people from all walks of life take part in such tournaments and honour the spirit of the game,” says Sanjay Swain, one of the organisers of the Pithapur Premier League.
However, such tournaments demand meticulous planning. “It isn’t an easy affair. We plan well in advance and involve a large number of volunteers. We try to make the tournament as appealing as possible to attract maximum footfall. Night matches are a big draw,” adds Sanjay.
From chasing sponsors, designing jerseys, putting up advertisements to finalising teams and roping in umpires and commentators, preparations start almost a month ahead of the tournaments. And organisers do all the work with great enthusiasm. “IPL’s success gave gully cricket a big boost. Volunteers play the biggest role in making these leagues a success. We first divide the volunteers into different groups and assign them responsibilities. The idea is to make the tournament as professional as possible,” says Binod Mohapatra, one of the organisers of the Jhola Sahi Premier League played in Cuttack.
A lot of money goes into organising the matches. “Arranging such a tournament isn’t possible without monetary support. We raise funds from club members. There are also many patrons and cricket enthusiasts who happily donate,” says Sanjay.
The success of the tournaments in the last few years has attracted sponsors. However, with more leagues being added every year, it is increasingly becoming a challenge for the organisers to tap the right sponsors. “It is one of the biggest responsibilities of the volunteers. From roping in the title sponsor to sponsors for jerseys, volunteers put in a lot of effort,” says Binod.
Interestingly, big brands too take pride in sponsoring such tournaments. So much so that the title sponsor of IPL is also the title sponsor of one of the leagues being played in Cuttack. “Thousands of people drop in to watch the matches. It is a great opportunity for us. On-field advertising in the form of banners and logo on the jerseys give maximum brand visibility,” says Sanjay Rout, senior manager of a mobile phone company sponsoring one of the cricket leagues.
“We also give Man of the Match Awards at prominent tournaments. Sponsoring such events gives our brand more visibility than billboards,” he adds.
Most organisers have been trying to give the tournament a professional look and follow the IPL format. Thus, they are pumping in more money and auctioning players. Many tournaments also have team owners.
Pratyush Kumar Routray, owner of King Fighter, which is playing in the Hanspal Premier League this year, says, “There are five teams, each with an owner. The owner has to deposit Rs 3,000 against which they are allotted 3,000 points each, which are used at the player auction.” The organisers draw a list of players to be auctioned for the tournament. Given that players are mostly local faces, owners know about their cricketing skills and bid accordingly.
“The base price of a player is 20 points and aggressive bidding can make his value go as high as 500 to 600 points. Besides matches, the auction is also an interesting event. Many express their interest in buying teams every year, but the organisers have restricted the tournament to a five-team affair for the last 10 years,” adds Pratyush.
Sanjay says, “In the Pithapur Premier League, we first register eight teams and then auction the players. The idea is not to make money but make the tournament a replica of IPL. The team owner sponsors the jerseys and cricket gear. The owner doesn’t take a share of the prize money if the team wins. Instead, it is distributed among the players.”
Chakradhar Sahoo, owner of Ranihat Kings, says, “The objective is to enjoy some quality time and get maximum entertainment. These tournaments have been doing that for a few years now. Every year, I bid for a team and then manage the players. Players take the matches seriously and perform like professional cricketers.”
However, a few rules have been made to suit the convenience of the organisers and to make the event more attractive. Instead of T-20, the matches are T-10, leather balls are replaced by tennis balls, and the contest is held on a single wicket. “Ten-over matches are convenient given that the matches are mostly played at night on weekends. However, we have special prizes for hitting boundaries and taking wickets. The prize money for the winners, runner-up, man of the match and player of the tournament are also lucrative,” says Binod.
In order to give the tournament an IPL feel, the teams have been given catchy names like Hanspal Tigers, Ranihat Kings, Jholasahi Hurricanes, Bahubali Tigers, Kattapa Soldiers, China Gate and Bacardi XI.
The players are the biggest crowd pullers. Although most are amateur players, they give their best. Rakesh Kumar Routray, senior manager at a private company, makes sure to participate in the local league played close to his house in Cuttack every year. “I have been playing with the Teli Sahi Warriors for the last nine years. Every year, I take leave for five days to play in the T-10 tournament in my area. Although I am a little old to play cricket, the organisers still find me fit enough to participate.”
Bhubaneswar-based Subarna Rout plays for three teams, each participating in different tournaments. “It’s just like Shane Watson playing for both Chennai Super Kings and Sydney Blasters. I get a kick every time my price goes up during the auction. There is no money involved, but the auction price helps me assess myself as a cricketer. Moreover, it also boosts my confidence. The excitement of being part of such tournaments is no less than playing in IPL,” he says.
For Sailendu, participating in the tournament is fun. “It is an annual affair and I anxiously wait for the tournament. Spectators cheering every boundary and commentators announcing my name makes me feel like an international cricket star,” he says.
Live commentary increases the appeal of the matches. However, commentators do have a tough time given that they have to remember the names of the players who aren’t always known faces. “I am not a professional commentator but a lot of the success of these tournaments depends on commentary. I try to keep it simple by giving the scores, commentating during the turning points of a match and announcing the names of the winner and the man of the match. There are matches replete with tense moments and commentating at that time really becomes exciting,” says Raja Patnaik, a regular commentator of the Pratapnagari Premier League.
Much like the commentators, umpires too have a tough job at hand as many cricket rules are altered to suit the format of the tournament. Jamini Prasad Samanta, who has been umpiring in the Patia Premier League, finds the job extremely challenging as the playing ground is small and many new rules have to be kept in mind. “Many tournaments are played on grounds that are barely 4,000 square feet. Moreover, many tournaments do away with the LBW mode of dismissal. Such tournaments don’t follow the ICC rules, but there’s a different kind of excitement in umpiring such matches,” says Jamini.
Many organisers ask the volunteers to double up as umpires. However, the bigger tournaments rope in professional umpires. “The organisers are very strict about umpiring. But umpiring is difficult as there are no sight screens. Moreover, with no third umpire, run out decisions become very tricky,” adds Jamini.
Flood-lit playgrounds, professional umpiring, live commentary, DJs playing peppy tracks, and a large enthusiastic audience make every match a grand affair. Spectators take avid interest, with many getting into debates during and after the matches. “T-20 has increased the appeal of the sport. The effort put in by the organisers has given gully cricket tournaments a professional touch. Moreover, attractive team names, smart jerseys, DJs and catchy commentary have upped the glam quotient of the tournaments. I only see these tournaments getting bigger in the future,” says Arun Behera, an avid cricket fan.
SOYONG, OP