State-of-the-art gadgets to aid cricketers in Gurdaspur

Ravi Dhaliwal

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Gurdaspur, June 26

Small-town Gurdaspur has been bestowed upon with big-time cricketing gifts by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Aggarwal much to the delight of the city’s cricket playing fraternity.

He has brought in novelties like a state-of-the-art bowling machine, a speed gun and an electronic scoreboard.

A majority of the cricket-playing districts of Punjab do not have recourse to such gadgets.

The bowling machine has been installed at Government College ground where cricketers practice throughout the year under the guidance of coach Rakesh Marshal.

Marshal’s boys are all set to commence a new innings with new tools and with new dreams.

The bowling machine was jointly inaugurated by senior AAP leader and halqa incharge Raman Bahl and the DC. The bureaucrat himself is a cricketing buff. It is common knowledge that barely hours after joining as the city’s chief executive, the first thing he did was to visit the ground. Every day, around 5.30 am, he joins the youngsters for nets. “I am a cricketer who relishes playing on Sunday afternoons, not the serious stuff but just whacking the ball here, there and everywhere. However, I have a vision to make Gurdaspur as one of the top cricket playing districts of Punjab. These gadgets will go a long way in fulfilling my aim,” he remarked.

“We are weaning the youth away from drugs. Cricket is one of these games where youngsters have shown immense interest. Give any Gurdaspur youngster half a chance and then see how he makes optimum use of it. I often tell addicts that just because you have hit bottom does not mean you have to stay there. We have added these novelties to make certain more and more people join the sport. As a child I used to hear that a bowling machine had been installed in the famous Alf Gover’s cricket school in the UK. It is indeed a matter of pride that today we have our own one,” he observed.

The ‘Leverage’ brand bowling machine, acquired at a cost of Rs 2 lakh, is indeed an interesting innovation. It can bowl fast, spin the ball both ways and can even bowl yorkers and bouncers. All one has to do is to make certain adjustments. There is a microprocessor which controls the swing, speed and bounce.

There are many who claim that such machines can never simulate match situations. “There is an art to reading the hand of the bowler and you cannot pick that up without facing a human. Sachin Tendulkar played Shane Warne so well because he read his hand. However, the machine is perfect for improving your technique wherever you are not up to the mark,” said Marshal.

Not everyone is an optimist. There are some pessimists too. Batters who have used the machine say the device is too predictable and humdrum and is completely devoid of variety.

A talent hunt competition is being held next week. The speed of 70 odd fast-bowlers will be measured by the speed gun.

The DC says he has asked Marshal to marshal his new resources with care. “The value of a machine is known only after it is rendered inoperative following a snag. Prevention is better than cure,” he said.

Box: “It is good to see new innovations in place at the cricket ground. My advice to young cricketers is that it is not the will to win that matters. Everyone has that. It is actually the will to prepare to win that matters. Good cricketers keep on practicing till they get it right. And please do play the game in the spirit of the game,” said Raman Bahl.