15-year-old Omprakash grabs eight-wicket haul

MUMBAI: He's always answering questions with a lowered gaze, but the way fifteen-year-old Omprakash Jaiswal is playing his cricket these days, there seems to be only one direction he's headed - up. Turning out for IES VN Sule Guruji (English), the off-spinner almost single handedly bowled out opposition Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya when he picked up 8-17 in an innings to hand his school a second victory in as many Harris Shield Elite Division games at the Cross Maidan on Wednesday.

The son of a groundsman from Matunga, cricket was always waiting to happen to Omprakash but it was his performances over the years in various tournaments that ensured the sport never stayed just a hobby. While his eight wickets on Wednesday is definite cause for celebration, Omprakash's selection in the state U-16 team a week ago is the real high. "My showing in the Shatkar Trophy earned me a call up to the state team and there couldn't be a better moment for someone like me," says Omprakash who trains at Amre Cricket Clinic.

Adding to the joy of the call up was the news that Omprakash would be captaining the team in their first game against Saurashtra to be played in December. "I was captain of the Solkar XI team for the Trophy and I'm pleased that my leading of the team impressed those who decided to hand me the responsibility for the state team as well," he says.

Staying in a small dwelling at the DPC Grounds in Matunga where his father toils with a roller and water pipe all day, Omprakash says the support from home has been tremendous. "My mother stays at our village in Uttar Pradesh while I live with my father and elder brother (Pankaj), who too plays cricket which means advice is always a shout away," he says.

Omprakash missed his school's first Harris Shield game as he was playing the Shatkar Trophy and his performance on Wednesday only shows how vital he is to his team's fortunes. Bowling out their opponents for 104 in the first innings, IES piled on 443 where Pranav Kela slammed 126 before bowling out SRV for a paltry 40 in their second essay. "This year nothing less than the Harris Shield Trophy will do. We want it really bad and will do everything to get it," says Omprakash. How's eight wickets in an innings for a start!

Brief Scores:
Lilavatibai Podar (SC) 1st Inn: 121 (Dhrumil Matkar 62; Kruthik Hangavadi 3-28 runs, Shams Mulani 3-49) 2nd Inn. 186 (Nishant Williams 43, Angad Singh 40, Dhrumil Matkar 45; Shams Mulani 4-47 runs) vs Don Bosco (Matunga) 1st Inn:124 (Nishant Williams 3-47, Dhrumil Matkar 5-32)

IES New English (Bandra) 1st Inn: 96 (Salman Khan 5-17, Prithiv Shaw 3-16) 2nd Inn. Siddharth Tahagirdar 77; Azim Shaikh 4-24) Lost to Springfield Rizvi (Bandra)1st Inn: 297 (Siddharth Singh 74, Azim Shaikh 60; Atish Nair 4-114 runs, Shridhar Patil 3-45)

Oxford Public School (Kandivali) 1st Inn: 85 (Pranav Juvekar 3-9) Meet Belose 58; Akash Mishra 4-39) Lost to Swami Vivekanand Int. 1st Inn: 385 (Karan Monish 48, Maulik Mehta 76, Mayur Naik 55, Brijesh Rathod 44 n.o.; Sagar Badhe 5-118 runs, Meet Belose 4-118).

Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya (Malad) 1st Inn:104 (Herambh Parab 3-25, Shreyas Kemkar 3- 24) 2nd Inn: 40 (Omprakash Jaiswal 8-17) Lost to IES VN Sule Guruji Eng. Med. (Dadar) 1st Inn: 443 all out Kela Pranav 126, Kemkar Shreyas 89, Bhojane Yash 54 ; Shashank Jain 4-128 runs)