Sharjah: Jairaj Thakur, one of the UAE's leading coaches and a veteran player, showed budding cricketers how it is done, by cracking a breezy century in the Umm Al Quwain Twenty20 league.
Thakur's knock of 101 runs came off 42 balls studded with nine sixes and four boundaries. "I enjoy inspiring youngsters by playing good knocks in domestic cricket. It also proves that age is no bar for hitting centuries," Thakur told Gulf News.
Thakur holds coaching certificates from the Australian and Asian Cricket Councils and conducts regular camps in Dubai. Many youngsters from his camp have represented UAE in international matches. Though in his late forties, Thakur plays domestic cricket without a break and has even hit many double centuries in tournaments.
Thakur will begin a coaching camp at the Al Safa School near Al Safa Park from the first week of June.
Mammoth target
Playing for What's On Cricket Club, Thakur helped his team reach a mammoth target of 190 for 7 set by Al Dhaid Cricket Club. What's On reached the target in 16.1 overs losing just two wickets.
Thakur got good support from Shahzad, who hit 59 off 20 balls with five sixes and four boundaries. Amit too chipped in with a run-a-ball 28 with three boundaries.
Al Dhaid, who won the toss, piled up the impressive total through Amjad's 77 runs off 50 balls which contained four sixes and five boundaries. Though Mudassar took What's On Club's two wickets for 13 runs, none of his teammates could contain the run flow.
Scores
Al Dhaid 190 for 7 in 20 overs (Amjad 77)
What's On 191 for 2 in 16.1 overs (Shahzad 59, Jairaj Thakur 101, Amit 28)
Man of the match: Jairaj Thakur
