Politicians, scribes play cricket for a cause

Mehsana (Gujarat), Nov 4 (IANS) Politicians and journalists in a north Gujarat district played a 19-overs-a-side match Tuesday, inaugurating a 27-day cricket tournament to nurture talented youth in the region.

The opening match drew a good number of spectators at the historic M.N. College grounds at Visnagar of Mehsana district, about 150 km from Ahmedabad.

While one team had local leaders from the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including legislator Rushikesh Patel and district BJP unit vice president Roopal Patel, the other side had journalists from the region.

The BJP men were all out for 120 while the scribes made 121 for 3.

Roopal Patel said: 'The main objective of the tournament is to groom cricketers out of villagers. It was the first tournament of its kind in the state where only taluka (sub-district) teams are participating.'

Added Rushikesh Patel: 'Youth from villages have been invited to take part in the tournament.'

As many as 80 teams from Visnagar town and nearby villages are participating in the tournament. The winning team will lift the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay trophy.