New Hind pacer Dhondy’s 9-4 demolishes Parel Sporting for just 10!

Arsh Dhondy

The 10th month of the year started inauspiciously for Parel Sporting Club in the premier division of the Dr HD Kanga Cricket League on Wednesday. They were dismissed for a mere 10 runs mainly due to the brilliance of New Hind SC's medium pacer Arsh Dhondy, who fell one short of bagging 10 wickets in an innings. Dhondy, 26, playing in only his second ‘A' Division game, returned astounding figures of 9 for 4 at the Dadkar Maidan in Matunga.

Put into bat on their home pitch, Aditya Parab (83) and Kush Kariya (79) guided New Hind to 200-3 declared. In reply, Parel Sporting were bowled out in just 15 overs. Dhondy, who claimed 3-33 against Parkophene Cricketers in the previous game, rattled the Parel batters with his fiery bowling. Following on, the visitors lost two wickets for 17, both to Dhondy.

"I am playing in the Kanga League ‘A' Division for the first time. Earlier, I represented Worli Sports Club in the ‘C' Division and my best performance there was 2-11 against Shivaji Park Youngsters last season. I was getting one or two wickets every game, but a big haul came after a long time, so it feels good," Dhondy told mid-day.

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Parel Sporting's 10 was the third lowest total in Kanga League ‘A' Division history. Khar Gymkhana in 1956 and Parsi Cyclists in 1988 were dismissed for 10 against Shivaji Park Gymkhana and Karnatak Sporting Association respectively.

"I wanted to pick 10 wickets in an innings, just like my friend [left-arm spinner] Shoaib Khan did [for Gaud Saraswat CC v Jolly Cricketers in ‘E' Division recently] but to be able to get nine in one innings is also a very big thing. To get the opponents all out for just 10 inspires me to repeat such a performance in the upcoming matches," Dhondy remarked.

Dhondy would have joined Vikram Dutt (10-20 for Dadar Union in 1982), A Abraham (10-30 for Sunder CC in 1952), BL Dadal (10-40 for Fort Vijay in 1956) and Pradeep Sahu (10-102 for Payyade SC in 2014) in the All 10 club had he got one more in the opposition's first innings.