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Nitin Surve celebrates after dismissing a Fort Vijay batsman. Surve's all-round show (101 and 3-46) helped Apollo earn a Kanga League draw PICS/VISHAL KK

Like an able and a trusted warrior, Nitin Surve toiled on the greens of the Mumbai maidans for over a decade. But the most satisfying day in his cricketing life came only yesterday.

Pitted against Fort Vijay Cricket Club in an 'A' Division Strategen Kanga League fixture, Surve's all-round performance (101 and 3-46) helped his team Apollo CC split points with their rivals and ensure another season in the premier division of this prestigious city tournament.

On the move

Surve opened the innings for Apollo and immediately went about his task of garnering runs for his team. On a wicket that demanded some application, Surve showed that he was a bright student.

"It is the most satisfying day of my life," Surve told MiD DAY after his exploits. Surve's last three-figure knock had come two seasons ago for Hindu Gymkhana, soon after which he decided to play Kanga League for Apollo as a professional.

"I had some financial demands to meet, that is why I decided to play Kanga League as a professional," he said and clarified that he will turn out for Hindu Gymkhana for other local tournaments.  

Though the day belonged to Surve, the settings weren't as virtuous as they appeared. "Yeah, the wicket was a bit damp and was not predictable. My gameplan was to ensure a flow of runs but not at the expense of risking my wicket. So, while I got my runs at almost run-a-ball (he scored his 101 in 106 balls), there was not a single slog. There was a fair amount of effort in terms of shot selection," Surve said.

His knock helped his team post a respectable 211 before declaring their innings. Set to chase 211, as Fort Vijay's senior player and former Mumbai Ranji Trophy stumper Amol Rane put it, was pretty improbable. And that task was compounded by Surve's magnificent brand of leg-spin bowling.

Surve took three wickets at crucial junctures and threatened to take the match away from the hosts, who eventually managed 139 for six. "Had we not dropped a couple of catches, it would have been a different result (match was drawn)," he stressed, and expressed concern about the team's fielding.

"This is one department that needs to be resurrected. Fielding has let us down throughout. We have suffered as a result of mediocre fielding," Surve noted.

So, in that sense, the superstar of the day, who had only a few hours ago witnessed the most satisfying moment in his cricketing career, went home a tad dejected.

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