Ballygunge Government High School’s annual cricket matches this year were all about runs, reconnecting with roots and lending a helping hand.
On December 10, the annual Dipankar Jana Memorial Cricket match was held between two alumni teams of the school, one comprising the younger alumni and the other fielding the veterans. Judhajit Mukherjee opened the batting for the veterans and scored 105 not out, guiding his team to an imposing total of 137 in the 10-over match. Unfortunately, his heroics were not enough, as the young guns managed to chase the total in just eight-and-a-half overs with Swarnab Santra top scoring with 71 not out and Chinmoy Roy chipping in with a handy 25 runs. Wickets were few and far between as relentless hitting characterised both innings.
Aparna Mukherjee
On December 16, the BGHS ground played host to more cricket, this time in the form of the R.N. Mukherjee Memorial Cricket match, which used to be played by the alumni but was contested by the school students this year. The two teams were named after two beloved teachers from the school who had passed away recently. Debabrata Sir’s XI took on Shailesh Sir’s XI with the latter batting first. Biraj Das opened the batting and led from the front with a sturdy 51, helping his team get to a competitive 162 in their 15 overs. In pursuit, Debarbrata Sir’s XI took the game by the scruff of its neck and knocked off the total with ease, with fifties from Aritro Ghosh and Supravo Santara.
The winners’ trophy was presented by Aparna Mukherjee, the widow of R.N. Mukherjee, who spoke about her connection to the school: “I used to love coming here for my son and my husband. After my husband passed, I found it really difficult to enter the premises where I have so many memories of him. I hope that those that played the match in my husband’s memory will keep up the hard work and make it big someday. I give them all my blessings to grow and flourish into successful human beings.”
Apart from reviving their cricket muscles, the BGHS alumni have made it a point to give back to their school, doing their bit to help with the maintenance of the facilities at their alma mater. “The alumni have been a huge help, they keep coming to me to say how they want to contribute. They’re the ones who provide funds for the maintenance of the ground and I supervise it to make sure that things are being handled well for our students to flourish,” explained Ranjit Garang, principal, BGHS.
Concrete nets at BGHS
“We used to have a concrete pitch for cricket when we were in school. With time and due to a lack of supervision, it deteriorated and we eventually had to remove it,” said Judhajit, a BCCI/NCA-certified coach who trains budding cricketers from the school on weekends. “I noticed that the practice sessions at the centre pitch [of the main ground] weren’t enough for those who had a lot to correct with their batting. There was a definite need for nets to be installed. As the school alumni, we approached the principal, who received government approval to get the work underway in March. We faced a lot of roadblocks and work had to be stopped in between. But, we finally got the pitch ready at the end of October, and have been using it for practice ever since,” added Mukherjee.
