22 October,2011 09:11 AM IST | | Sundari Iyer
IES VN Sule Guruji School clinched an 81-run victory over Don Bosco (Matunga) in the final of the suburban District Sports Office (DSO) inter-school tournament at Cross Maidan yesterday.
Sule Guruji's skipper Yash Bhojane plays a shot through the off-side
during a DSO U-14 T20 tie against Don Bosco (Matunga) at Cross
Maidan yesterday. PIC/SURESH KK
Yash's success
Electing to bat, the Dadar side piled on an impressive 123-2 in 20 overs. But, the two performances that stood out were of Sule Guruji skipper Yash Bhojane, who scored an unbeaten 72, and left-arm spinner Dhruva Vedak, who took three Bosco wicketsu00a0-- Harsh Tanna, Rohit Sonkar and Jehan Panthakeu00a0-- and conceded only eight runs, as the Matunga team was bowled out for 42 in 13.3 overs.
Thanking their 71-year-old coach Gopal Koli,u00a0 Sule Guruji's top-scorer, the 13-year-old Yash said: "I don't think that we could have won this final without the guidance of 'Koli Sir'.
"We always consider him as one among us. He always backed us in both highs and lows. In the eight years that I have trained under him, he has always encouraged me to go the extra mile."
"For me, he is my friend first, and then a coach. I can talk to him about anything without fear and I know that if I am wrong, he will correct me," added Mahim resident Dhruva. Koli said: "I have seen three decades of players come and go. But it is their spirit that keeps me going even at this age. Today's win wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Bhojane's solid start."
