Dr Chandu Patankar wants better grounds

Patankar, who played the Kolkata Test against New Zealand in 1956, wants the newly elected MCA office-bearers and Apex Council to work for the betterment of Mumbai cricket

Mumbai’s oldest surviving Test cricketer, Dr Chandu Patankar, 91, made it for the Mumbai Cricket Association’s elections at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Patankar, who played the Kolkata Test against New Zealand in 1956, wants the newly elected MCA office-bearers and Apex Council to work for the betterment of Mumbai cricket.

“I am expecting the elected body to improve ground and pitch conditions [of the maidans], which are not good now. It is also important to conduct all tournaments regularly,” Patankar told mid-day on Thursday.

Umesh arrives in wheelchair

Former India left-arm pacer Umesh Kulkarni, 80, who represented the country in four Tests, came on a wheelchair to cast his vote. Kulkarni is expecting the new MCA committee to work on improving things at the grass root level, especially inter-school cricket.

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Pawar ‘opens’ the innings

Former MCA president and the leader of the Sharad Pawar-Ashish Shelar group, was the first to cast his vote in the 3.00 pm-6 pm time slot. 

Pawar first became president of the MCA in January 2001, defeating former India captain Ajit Wadekar. 

Seriously cordial 

Though former MCA president Ashish Shelar, ex-MCA secretary Prof Ratnakar Shetty, out-going MCA secretary Sanjay Naik and former MCA vice president Pankaj Thakur were in opposite camps and were campaigning for two different groups—Sharad Pawar-Ashish Shelar and Mumbai Cricket group—they were seen sharing light moments during the MCA elections.

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