Former Mumbai cricketer Vithal Patil, who coached Vengsarkar and Shastri, no more

During this time of the year in his heyday Vithal Marshall Patil would be looking forward to his pet tournament mdash Dr H D Kanga Cricket League Today he is set for his final journeyVithal Patil in 2013Patil passed away at his Dadar East residence yesterday at 89 due to old age He was last seen by some members of Mumbais cricketing fraternity at a memorial service held to mourn the death of his mentor Madhav Mantri on June 1The Kanga League is synonymous with the success of pace bowlers and there was no one more successful than Patil in the League mdash 759 wickets for his good old Dadar Union Sporting Club who won many a game thanks to this stalwartHe never boasted about his record tally but was quick to remind you that he also got 10 wickets in an innings against Shivaji Park Gymkhana in the Talim Shield Yet he played only two Ranji Trophy games for Mumbai Those were the days when rich performances in local cricket didnt guarantee you a Ranji spotDiscipline was very much part of his persona It only became pronounced when he played under Madhav Mantri at Dadar UnionVithal Patil in full flight during the 1950s Pic courtesy Vithal Patils personal collectionWhen Mantri entered the room at the Bombay Gymkhana at a function to celebrate the veteran coach a few years ago one could safely assume that it was a great moment for him He was not lost for words Madhavrao he exclaimed your disciplined ways helped me in my coaching Thank youBefore joining Dadar Union in 1952 Patil played for another club which he promptly left despite the knowledge that he would not be an automatic choice at the Matunga club A senior player used to take hours to return from lunch and I remember another chatting up his girlfriend on the boundary line Patil had said once He last played for Dadar Union in 1984Coach Patil helped the likes of Dilip Vengsarkar Ravi Shastri Sanjay Manjrekar and a flock of firstclass cricketers emerge through his coaching at the Podar College netsManjrekar and Vengsarkar were at Patils residence yesterday Outoftown Shastri who felt fortunate to have met his coach a few months ago told midday He was a thorough disciplinarian more than a coach He made sure you knew that there was no shortcut to success in anything you did A real champManjrekar was regularly in touch with his coach and was one of the first to reach his residence Patil sir and me connected on many levels Like me he too was a hard man to please Not many people know he had quite a sense of humour said ManjrekarMany a great batsman succumbed to Patils medium pace guile Dismissing Ajit Wadekar or Dilip Sardesai gave him a special thrill A genuine exponent of swing and a great mover of the ball has goneIndian cricket is the loserhellip RIP said Wadekar who clashed with Patil in Mumbai crickets answer to the Battle of Roses Lancashire vs Yorkshire mdash Shivaji Park Gymkhana vs Dadar UnionVilas Godbole who played alongside Patil at Dadar Union remembered how two accomplished Test batsmen decided to bat lower down the order in a club game to avoid facing Patil with the new ball He got them dismissed nevertheless with the old ballPatils coaching service to Mumbai cricket was wholehearted and complete He coached women cricketers too some of whom were at his home yesterdayHe welcomed visitors at all times Former firstclass cricketers Mazhar Ghadially and Rajesh Sanghi who were always there for ailing Patil should know A planned 30minute visit would go way beyond their deadline as it were and he would talk cricket for hours They enjoyed itIn his last few years his television set was his best companion when he was alone He had good reading taste too ndash Australian cricket writers Jack Fingleton and Ray Robinson and swore by Don Bradmans Art of Cricket and Farewell to CricketPatil played no small role in Sunil Gavaskars development before he coached the batting icons son Rohan at Podar Gavaskar wrote in Sunny Days If there is one man who has taken a great deal of interest in my cricket and encouraged me at every step it is MarshallOften he would drop in at our house late after dinner and say Sunny century tomorrow I think he had more confidence in my cricketing ability than I had myselfVithal Patils funeral will be held at 9 am on Thursday June 12 at Shivaji Park crematorium