Floodlit encounters

The first All Parsee Floodlit Cricket Tournament held at the Rustom Baug grounds from October 28 to November 17, 2002 witnessed the enthusiastic participation of 30 men’s teams and nine women’s teams from all over Bombay. In a nail biting finish, the Rustom Baug A team snatched a narrow victory over the valiant youngsters of Vasai XI who, while cruising towards Rustom Baug’s total, suddenly lost their way with the fall of quick wickets in the 15 overs a side match. Firdosh Bacha and Rohin Patel of Vasai were adjudged the best batsman and best bowler respectively of the final. Rustom Baug captain Cyrus Todiwalla picked up the Man of the Match award. Cyrus Patel of Vasai was the best male player of the Tournament, as per a press release from the Sir Ness Wadia Club (SNWC) which organized the event sponsored by philanthropist NarYman Dubash.

The gritty girls of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust (MEJMT) lifted the trophy in the women’s final against Rustom Baug, with MEJMT’s Zeenia Crawford and Jeroo Medhora adjudged the best batswoman and best bowler respectively, and Kaizeen Batliwala, the player of the final. Rustom Baug’s Dilnaz Anklesaria made her mark as the best lady cricketer of the Tournament. "Ten overs a side, underarm bowling and slightly different rules regarding the awarding of no balls and byes differentiated the women’s matches from the men’s, but feminine enthusiasm was so great that we actually had to restrict the number of teams due to lack of available time,” explains Hutoxi Doodhwala, one of the organizers. With youngsters and working people making up most of the teams, the competition was held from 6.30-11 p.m. under the glow of the floodlights installed in May 2002 with the munificence of the World Zoroastrian Organisation. "Rustom Baug was the only one with a complete team of ‘veterans’ (aged 40 and above) but other teams had a sprinkling of veterans too,” adds Doodhwala.

Cyrus Todiwalla (above right) receiving the men’s trophy from Dinshaw Tamboly; Mehli Irani (alongside) and (center) Dilmeher Bunsha accepting the women’s trophy from Dubash

While Dubash was the chief guest on the concluding day, Bachi and Dinshaw Tamboly and Bakhtawar and Farokh Tamboly were invited as guests of honor. Farokh was of immense help in the conduct of the Tournament, acknowledges the organizing team of Darius Randelia, Khushroo Contractor, Doodhwala, Nozer Tantra, Behram Irani and Adi Suder.

Left-hand batsman cum wicketkeeper Mehli D. Irani of Rustom Baug was honored by Dubash with a purse of Rs 20,000. Now 72, Mehli retired from competitive cricket at the age of 67, with the distinction of being the only cricketer to have played 50 years of Kanga League cricket since its inception in 1948, states his bio data forwarded to Parsiana by Suder. Mehli had captained the St Xavier’s School, St Xavier’s College and Bombay University teams and played for Combined Indian Universities against overseas teams as well. Representing Bombay in the Ranji Trophy, Mehli also skippered the Bombay Gymkhana team on a tour of Australia and Africa.