Dubai: Kerala Overseas Cricketers (KOC), comprising of former cricketers from the state currently working in the UAE, will host the fifth St Mary’s Veterans’ Premier League at the Dubai Sevens ground this weekend. Over 75 former Kerala state cricketers from different parts of the world will fly into Dubai to represent the six teams that will compete for the title on February 10-11.
Defending champions Absolute Sobers, owned by Sarosh Abraham, P. Pardeep and Balakrishnan and captained by Sunil Kumar, are expected to face a strong challenge from Malabar Warriors, JK Malabar Tigers, Kochi Royals, Kochi Muthoot Tuskers, and Travancore Panthers.
International cricketers such as Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, Dileep Vengsarkar, Syed Kirmani, Sunil Valson and renowned coach Dave Whatmore have conveyed their best wishes to the cricketers-turned-organisers who have all represented the state in the tournament Ranji Trophy. The event is backed by the Kerala Cricket Association.
The Malabar Warriors team, owned by CTK Mashood, who was a regular on the UAE domestic circuit before turning coach, and Krishnakumar Nambiar, will be led by Sunil Oasis. Incidentally Oasis, now grooms many budding youngsters in the UAE as a coach.
Malabar Tigers is owned by J.K. Mahendra, who played for Indian Schools team in 1966-67, and is captained by Vinan G Nair. Both these team are expected to draw support from cricket fans from North Kerala.
The two teams from Kochi are Kochi Royals, owned by Reji Cherian and captained by Ajay Kuduva, and Kochi Muthoot Tuskers, owned by C.A. Salim and captained by Feroz Rashid.
Travancore Panthers, representing Thiruvanathapuram, the capital of Kerala, is owned by S. Ramesh and S. Santosh. Ramesh, who has the distinction of captaining Kerala in the highest number of matches, has the nickname ‘Pataudi,’ while Santhosh holds the world record for maximum number of caught and bowled dismissals in a first class match. This team had always been captained by renowned leg spinner and India’s Test umpire K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan. As Ananthapadmanabhan is on umpiring duty, the team will be led by Ramesh and Narayanan Kutty alternatively.
This tournament, which has St Mary’s group of Schools at Thiruvalla as title sponsors, follows the rule that every team should have at least one player above the age of 50, four players aged between 40 to 45 and four players aged 45 to 50. All these players have to be Kerala state players but two over-40 players can be club cricketers.
