Cricket and camaraderie
Highlights of the Jiji Irani cricket match played twice in 2017 to mark its 30th milestone
Team Hyderabad, January, 2017
Daryush and Hormuzd Debara: rooting for home team
The pentangular Tournament is played on a round robin basis by Zoroastrian teams from Calcutta, Nagpur, Jamshedpur and Surat, with each team taking turns to host the meet. There are 23 trophies/shields linked to the Jiji Irani Challenge Cup. While loyalty to one’s own team is expected, there is always friendly substitution in case any of the teams do not have 11 players from their own city to constitute a team. This contributes substantially towards the close bonds among players of different teams.
During the Yuletide month, Calcutta faced two problems: One was the early morning dew and the other was a 4.15 p.m. sunset. Fortunately, all matches started and ended on time. Team Surat was accommodated in the annexe of the Ervad Dhunjeebhoy Byramjee Mehta’s Zoroastrian Anjuman Atash Adaran, in the large room above the kitchen, while the other visitors stayed at the the Manackjee Rustomjee Dharamshalla for Parsi travellers. Apart from the teams, the Dharamshalla also accommodated two outstation Parsi umpires and a total of 25 cheerleaders and a few children. Bejan Ardeshir, the popular scorekeeper for 29 matches, who passed away after the Secunderabad meet was greatly missed.
Hosting a tournament of this scale requires a lot of planning and co-ordination. Early morning wake-up calls were not welcome. Some got hot water, some tepid and the rest opted for an evening bath or just couldn’t be bothered. The moment of the Tournament was when all teams met and interacted with national player Saurav Ganguly. The gentleman that he is, he obliged one and all, posing for selfies, photographs and autographs.
For the Calcutta match, the various committees formed dealt with finance (Jemi Bilimoria and Dinyar Mucadum), organization (Prochy Mehta), reception (Sherry Katrak and Khursheed Bulsara), hospitality (Jemi Bilimoria and Havovi Khambatta), technical (Jimbo Vatcha), food (Havovi Khambatta, Feroza Mogrelia and a host of other ladies), by far the most popular committee, transport (Sherry Katrak and Khursheed Bulsara), entertainment (Sanaya Mehta-Vyas and Behnaz Dugar) and match coordinator (Cyrus Confectioner). The teams enjoyed the dinners hosted by various Parsis. Needless to say, the bar and the dance floor took precedence over the cuisine.
The January match attended by 120 outstation Zoroastrians was hosted by the Zoroastrian Club of Secunderabad and Hyderabad under the presidentship of Minoo Siganporia, assisted by vice president Perviz Nalladaru, members of the managing committee and dozens of hardworking organizers and volunteers. Three Parsi umpires approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India — Adil Palia, Keki Doodhwala and Aspi Tantra — were in attendance. Chief guest Fredun De Vitre, well-known cricket commentator and anchor on All India Radio and Doordarshan appreciated the sporting spirit "not only on the field but also in the stands.” A souvenir containing interesting features of the sporting and other activities of the community was published.
Over the last three decades, this Tournament has grown in size and sky-rocketed in cost. What used to cost four lakh rupees now touches 14 lakhs. The City of Joy, where there are approximately 450 Parsis left, was able to host thanks to the generosity of donors, well-wishers and sponsors. The time has come to sit and re-think in which direction this Tournament is heading. In our dwindling community this is a wonderful opportunity for our youth to get to know each other better.
Fraternization on and off the field
"I really enjoy these matches and get to meet all my old friends. I used to be a regular in my playing days too, even when I represented Team Hyderabad,” says Noshir Mehta, former Hyderabad off-spinner who has played several Ranji Trophy, South Zones and Rest of India matches. JICCCT was started in memory of the late Jiji Irani, the father of cricket in Vidarbha district in Maharashtra who had played against Douglas Jardine and the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club). Mehta has an interesting bit of history to relate. He says, "Nagpur used to play the Hyderabad Parsi Team for the Naval Vakeel Trophy. They also used to play Jamshedpur in the Jiji Irani Tournament. It was Shiraz Gimi of Nagpur who made it a triangular Tournament. Calcutta and Surat joined in later and that’s how we have five sides now.”
Varzavand Debara of Hyderabad looks forward to this Tournament because of the strong friendships forged between all the team members over so many years. He says, "It’s a case of fierce rivalry on the field and all of us being great friends off the field.” His wife, Armaity adds, "The friendships have resulted in bonds where some are so thick that they travel for marriages and functions to be with each other. I feel these matches also allow a lot of us to spend time with our age group within a city via practice sessions, which invariably lead to evenings out together. We are unable to do this the rest of the year due to home and work commitments. Varzavand has been playing this tournament since the past 20 years. I went to Calcutta with my Nagpur team as a cheerleader and we met there through a common friend Danush Doongaji (captain of the Nagpur team who played cupid for us).” Their five-year-old twin boys Daryush and Hormuzd turned up in cricket whites to support their father and his team.
Thirteen-year-old Shaimak Bhatela, the youngest player from Team Hyderabad commented, "It was a very good learning experience. Though I could play in only one match, I enjoyed a lot. I made lots of new Parsi friends from other places. Also being the youngest, all my teammates encouraged and supported me. I look forward to playing many other matches with them.”
Another teenager from Team Hyderabad, Armaan Chenoy, said, "When I was 11, I started playing cricket. It was always my dream to be a part of the Jiji team and play for Hyderabad, which I am doing. To me it doesn’t matter how good I am. Sports is always about playing and competing.”
Ayesha Shapurji of Nagpur recalled, "My first Jiji experience was in my hometown Nagpur 19 years ago. I had the time of my life with some of the team members and my closest friends. I had to wait patiently for four years before I got a chance to go for a tournament out of town. It’s been 15 years and I haven’t missed a tournament yet. I guess it’s the excitement of meeting everyone once a year at least that has kept me going. As I always say, being part of this Tournament is like opening a bag of Lays chips, ‘Once you start, you can’t stop!’”
The 32nd JICCCT will be played in Nagpur in November this year.
Winners at Calcutta
Winners, Team Nagpur, also lifted the Jiji Irani Shield for winning against Jamshedpur, the Russi B. Gimi Trophy for defeating Calcutta, the Banoo Bapuna Trophy for overpowering Hyderabad, and the Jiji Memorial Cup for fighting off Surat. Team Jamshedpur, declared the Edi Aibara Trophy Parsee Pentangular 2017 Runner-up, was able to win the Homi Dotivala Memorial Trophy for emerging victorious against Surat, the Saklat Shield for defeating Calcutta and the Phiroze Dotivala Memorial Trophy for winning against Hyderabad.
In the individual categories, Jamsheed Hormusji of Hyderabad won the man of the series. Yohann Doongaji of Nagpur was declared best batsman of the series while his teammates Zervin Rana was best wicket-keeper, Vispy Mehta was declared veteran of the series and Doongaji won a trophy for maximum sixes. Kaiwan Kasad of Jamshedpur won the best bowler of the series while his 17-year-old teammate Vir Bugli was declared the most promising youngster. The youngest player of the series was Neville Dutia of Surat aged 17 and his teammates Kaivan Abadan won the trophy for maximum catches and Poras Bharucha for the fastest 50. The most economical bowler was Jamsheed Daver of Calcutta. The best fielder from each team was Yezdi Dapotawalla of Jamshedpur, Vaspan Patel of Nagpur, Manek Hormusjee of Hyderabad, Adil Doctor of Surat and Ratan Postwalla of Calcutta.
Calcutta inputs from Jimbo Vatcha, and Hyderabad from Beyniaz Edulji.