Bombay ducks: All fall for zero in Mumbai’s Harris Shield

Children Welfare, Andheri set the dubious record—shot out by Swami Vivekanand School, Borivali, in less than six overs—and a total of seven, all extras—in a first round match.

Every batsman starts on zero, but an entire innings does not end with none contributing a run. Even the unbeaten batsman failed to score as a team in Mumbai’s inter-school Harris Shield tournament scooped up this unwanted record on Wednesday. Children Welfare, Andheri set the dubious record—shot out by Swami Vivekanand School, Borivali, in less than six overs—and a total of seven, all extras—in a first round match. This came in response chasing 761/3 amassed by Rohit Sharma’s alma mater.

Representational image. (File)

Swami Vivekanand rattled up the runs in just 39 overs, Meet Mayekar scoring an unbeaten 338 off 134 balls, with 56 fours and seven sixes. Children Welfare’s cup of woe was overflowing after they were penalised 156 runs for not completing their quota of 45 overs in the stipulated time.

Children Welfare batsmen then folded, with seamer Alok Pal returning six for three runs in three overs.

Swami Vivekanand coach Mahesh Lotlikar was sympathetic to the rivals’ plight. “I guess the way we batted they may have been mentally down when they went in. We’ve bowled out teams for 60-70, but I have never seen such a thing happen in school cricket,” he said.

A Children Welfare official, when contacted, said they would need their school principal’s permission to speak to the media.

While records are not available, those involved in Mumbai schools’ cricket for decades say it is a first in Mumbai school cricket. HS Bhor, who has held various posts in his 40-year association with Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)—15 years as cricket secretary—said: “I have seen scores like 30, 40 all out or six-seven ducks in an innings, but no batsman scoring is a first for me,” said the 75-year-old.

At home, in 2017, Nagaland women’s team was dismissed for two runs by Kerala in an U-19 Women’s League one-day tournament tie.

In 2014, Wirral Cricket Club, near Liverpool, were dismissed for three runs against Haslington in a Cheshire League Third Division match with 10 batsmen out for a duck; No. 11 scored one with two leg-byes. In 2016, in the Kent Indoor Championship in Canterbury, Bapchild Cricket Club were zero all out in 3.2 overs while chasing Christ Church University’s 120.