I've got the patience like Wasim Jaffer, says 400 plus hero Sarfaraz

Seventeen years ago, Wasim Jaffer, who went on to don India colours, scored a quadruple hundred in schools cricket.

Yesterday, another promising Mumbai schoolboy cricketer scored 400 plus twelve-year-old Sarfaraz Khan who amassed 439 for Rizvi Springfield against Indian Education Society (Kandivli) in the Harris Shield.

Jaffer's 400 came against Marwari Vidyamandir in the Giles Shield around the same time in 1992. Four years later, he was walking out with Sanjay Manjrekar to open the batting for Mumbai against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy.

Though Jaffer did not end up being a regular India batsman, what stood out was his poise. Young Sarfaraz admitted admiring "Wasim Sir's" patience.

"Wasim Sir likes to stay on the pitch for long. I too have patience like him. I also enjoy putting away the loose balls," he said after his splendid knock that was decorated with 56 fours and a dozen hits over the rope.

Incidentally, Jaffer's nephew Armaan and Sarfaraz are Rizvi teammates.



Sarfaraz is a huge Sachin Tendulkar fan. Who isn't, is a fair question, but this admirer has made it a point to maximise his knowledge of the great batsman by reading various books written on Tendulkar. And crossing the batting master's Harris Shield score of 346 gave him much pleasure yesterday. Tendulkar's triple came against Anjuman Islam in the 1987-88 Harris Shield final at the Brabourne Stadium.

Sarfaraz is believed to have broken Ramesh Nagdev's record for the highest Harris Shield score 427 in
1963-64.

Sarfaraz's biggest influence is his father Naushad, who introduced him to the game when he was four. Naushad used to carry his son on his shoulders during his journeys from Kurla to Azad Maidan which is close to Cross Maidan where Sarfaraz witnessed his finest hour yesterday. Father and son play for Young Mohammedans, a club which features in the Kanga League 'B' division. "A couple of times I have got out before Sarfaraz," said Naushad with a sheepish grin.

Rizvi Springfield are in the driver's seat with a mammoth first innings score of 750 for nine. Indian Education Society are reeling at 60 for six and don't put that down to the bowlers alone. It's hard when you are buried under an avalanche of runs.