Date:12/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/12/stories/2008011250790200.htm Back Karnataka - Mysore
Cricket tourney for the visually impaired gets under way Staff Correspondent Six cricket teams are participating in the tournament - PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM Determination: A visually impaired cricket player plays a sweep shot during a match at Maharaja's College Grounds in Mysore on Friday. MYSORE: Whoever said the visually challenged cannot play cricket will have to watch the six teams vying with one another to lift the Rotary Mysore Giva State-Level Louis Braille Challenge Cup in Mysore to believe it. Undeterred by their impairment, the enthusiastic cricketers showed the sparse gathering at the Maharaja's College Grounds here how they could bat as well as a Sachin Tendulkar or bowl as accurately as Anil Kumble during the three-day State-level cricket tournament for the visually challenged, which began on Friday. The repertoire of the visually challenged cricketers, who displayed their batting skills during the day-long play, included not just the straight drive or an off drive, but also a pull shot and a sweep shot. However, the Rotary Mysore, which has organised the tournament in association with the National Federation for the Blind, had made a few changes from the standard form of cricket to facilitate the players. In accordance with the international rules for cricket for the visually challenged, the cricket ball was filled with ball bearings to emit a jingling sound that helps the batsmen to "sight" the ball. Also, the bowler should cry out "play" before releasing the ball. The radius of the cricket field will also be smaller.. The cricket team comprises partially visually challenged and completely visually challenged players. Each team comprises of at least four completely visually challenged players and the rest having different degrees of blindness. The rules change for players depending on their degree of blindness. For instance, a completely visually challenged person can take a catch after it pitches. When he bats, the ball has to be pitched twice before it reaches the crease. A total of six cricket teams, including Government School for Blind, Mysore; Krishna Blind School, Hassan; Sadguru Sri Siddarooda Education Society for Blind, Hubli, besides the Ashakirana Blind School and Karnataka Welfare Association for Blind School participated in the tournament. The cricket tournament was inaugurated by former test cricketer Sunil Joshi in the presence of Mysore Lok Sabha MP C.H. Vijayshankar. To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
