Nine thousand participants from 400 schools vied to become the most promising pace bowler at the Dabur Glucose-D TTIS Ace of Pace contest. One each from the junior (classes VI to IX) and the senior (classes X to XII) teams were selected as the winners, based on the maximum number of wickets taken in an over.

Apart from schools and cricket coaching camps in Purulia, Bankura, Durgapur, Asansol, Siliguri, Midnapore and Calcutta, the search also included students through a wild-card entry.

The final was held at Spring Club on May 23. The lucky two won a date with pace bowler Zaheer Khan and a chance to train at the Videocon School of Cricket in Salt Lake for a month.

RONY MITRA

For this 18-year-old, cricket comes before studies. “My parents don’t mind if I miss school, but get very angry when I miss practice,” says the youngster, who wants to take up cricket as a career. The Siliguri boy’s strength is the outswinger, though he also contributes as a middle-order batsman.

The student of Tarapada Adarsha High School trains at the Agragami Cricket Coaching Centre six days a week and dreams of joining Team India.

“Such competitions are a big opportunity for people from smaller cities,” says Rony, who plans to pick up tips from Zaheer Khan.

PRITAM CHAKRABORTY

The student of St Thomas’ Church School, Howrah, has been balancing studies with cricket for the past seven years. The 14-year-old, who practises at the Badal Bose Memorial Cricket Academy, has been trained by his father, a coach at the club. The all-rounder’s strength is the inswinger.

The fan of Sachin Tendulkar and Brett Lee is very excited about meeting Zaheer Khan. “I want to ask him how he makes an old ball swing,” he smiles.