Imlisanen Jamir It was an eerie feeling to witness the beginning of Nagaland’s foray into first class cricket, as the state’s senior team took on fellow debutants Mizoram in their first ever Ranji Trophy Test Match encounter on November. By the end of day three of the match, Nagaland had registered an emphatic victory. Nagaland became the first team to score 500-plus runs on Ranji Trophy debut, exhibiting a form that would be considered deceivable if not for the talent and drive witnessed at the Nagaland Cricket Association Stadium in Sovima. The sporting scene in Nagaland has been in a limbo for quiet sometime, with the old adage of our perceived knack for sports never being fully realized till only recently. Inconsistencies in grassroots development have been the main factor responsible for the state’s athletes to produce the desired results their talent deserves. For quite a while now, the Nagaland Cricket Association (NCA) with its fellow debutant counterparts have been fighting tooth and nail to gain their foothold in the national scene. Their initial success needs to be appreciated and provided with support from all stakeholders. It is also important to realize that development of sports at any level has several other ancillary effects on a wide spectrum of social and economic factors. For instance, on day 3 of the match between Nagaland and Mizoram, a group of people from the communities surrounding the stadium were engaged in an animated discussion on how several families there have benefitted with the coming up of the stadium and its foreseeable usage in the future. Hence, the tangential nature of sport makes it a valuable avenue to affect economic and social change. Grassroots sport development isn’t a responsibility of the government alone; you and I have an important role to play. In our own little way, endeavor should be made to support sport development. Go to games, discourage hindrances to infrastructure development, or perhaps just let our kids play and help chase their dreams. After their convincing home win against Mizoram last week, the Nagaland Cricket Association is set to host three more matches at the Nagaland Cricket Association Stadium, Sovima, with the schedule running till January 2 next year. We should expect no miracles from the team, and be ready to back them and the support staff through this initial venture, whatever trials the journey ahead may throw up.
Comments can be sent to imlisanenjamir@gmail.com