PORVORIM: Union Sports Club-Valpoi, formed 37 years ago, has been working tirelessly to promote season ball cricket in Sattari. Being the only GCA-registered club in the taluka, Union SC is a great platform for local youngsters looking to grow in the game. And precisely speaking, this is the primary target for the club, which wants to turn raw talents into Goa State cricketers!
Coached by the passionate Vijay Kudtarkar for over two decades now, Union SC are largely banking on their local players to take on the challenge of participation in the iconic Manohar Parrikar Trophy T20 where teams have the chance to register a maximum of three Ranji Trophy players.
“We believe that this is a tournament with a lot of prestige and our local talents will face top players from other teams with confidence. It will be a learning experience for them and for us it is a big occasion to participate in Manohar Parrikar Trophy,” said Kudtarkar.
Manager Nikhil Tergaonkar adds: ” The upcoming talents need to grow from the comfort zone of their village, taluka or district. They need to challenge and prove themselves against top quality players from all over Goa. This is our main aim.”
Some of the Union SC players to watch out for in future are Sidharth Zarmekar (wicketkeeper-batsman), Chetan Sawant (all-rounder) and Anidhya Pokle (medium-pacer) among others.
Due to the pandemic, players have starved of cricket tournaments otherwise Union would go on to play across the state in one-dayers as well as T20s. In the 2020-21 season, Union SC just featured in Bandodkar Trophy and went down to mighty Panjim Gymkhana A in the onedayers format.
