Sai Ramesh (USF Bulls) is 2015 MVP in Farewell Championship Appearance !
Sai Ramesh (USF Bulls), 2015 American College Cricket National Championship MVP
At the 2015 American College Cricket National Championship Sai Ramesh told American College Cricket Founder & President Lloyd Jodah that this would be his final time as a player, but he wished to continue being a part of American College Cricket on the administrative side. His team, the USF Bulls, did not repeat as Champion, Sai nevertheless went out with a bang as the 2015 Championship MVP ! He batted 6 innings with 1 not out for 325 runs. His highest score was 115 and he also made 96* & 73. Bowling he took 7 wickets at 9.57 with a best of 3 for 9. He took 4 catches.
Sai was Captain of the USF Bulls when they finally got over their hump of losing in the Semis or Finals to win the 2013 South East Regionals, then led them to winning the National title in 2014, to considerable accolade from the University of Florida President and media. Exemplifying the best democratic traditions, he then played under 2 different Captains for USF.
Ramesh first played American College Cricket in March 2010, for the University of South Florida. He stood out for his batting, bowling and all round abilities, even wicket keeping ! He helped USF get to the Final 4 – the 2nd of many years USF would spend searching for the elusive Chanderpaul Trophy. His aggressive confident batting, the powerful flick of his forearm, make him one of the best batsmen in the USA and a delight to watch.
In India he had played for the Delhi Under 15 Team. 8 years later he moved to Chennai and played First Division Cricket for Sanmar Chemplast, which won the Championship multiple times. e also captained the South Zone University Team and at one point was on the list of Under 19 probables for India he said.
For 2011 Sai transferred to the University of Central Florida & together with American College Cricket President Lloyd Jodah, started a club there which played in the 2011 American College Cricket National Championship. He hosted a visit by Shiv Chanderpaul arranged by Lloyd.
Back at USF for 2012 Sai Ramesh gave his best performances as the Bulls once more reached the Finals, losing to York College on national TV, he was the Championship MVP, narrowly beating out # 2, fellow USF player Abdullah Sheik, who had a magnificent all round effort at the Nationals.
At that Championship, Sai demonstrated the kind of sportsmanship that’s typical of him – his USF Bulls were on their way to victory in the Finals, and he was going great on 42, when he was given out LBW – without any hesitation he walked upon seeing the Umpire’s finger go up, know his team’s chance of the winning the National Championship was walking out with him ! “It was a moment I’ll always remember as defining the great cricketer Sai Ramesh is, and a perfect example of the “Spirit of Cricket” we wish to highlight” said Lloyd Jodah.
In 2012 Sai scored 259 runs with scores in the forties & 64* in 6 innings. He took 11 wickets for 109 runs with a best of 4/9. Sai also kept wicket and took 7 catches.
At the 2013 he scored 121 runs including 2 Fifties and took 14 wickets with a best of 5/8.
2014 Nationals Sai scored 405, playing 8 matches & being out 6 times for an average of 67.5. He made 3 fifties and his first American College Cricket century. Bowling in 8 innings he took 9 wickets at 14.67 with a best of 3/10.
He made the All American team, and was named a College Player of the Year in every year he played, and was named Championship MVP in 2012, 2014 and now 2015.
American College Cricket thanks Sai for fulfilling the role of an alumni player, helping to solidify the game in his college as we’ve grown it over the past 6 years all over USA & Canada, and established a profile which is attracting players. It is the passing of an era.
Lloyd said, “I’ll miss seeing Sai bat against the highly competitive bowling & fielding of American College Cricket, just as I miss our other greats like Khushroo Wadia (York U), Jai Patel (York U), Romel Somavat (OSU), Adrian Gordon (NYU-Polytechnic), Raza Ur Rehman (York U) & others. But that’s the nature of college sports, we’ll give new stars a platform, and expose their talent.”
Sai Ramesh, “My sincere thanks to Lloyd and American College Cricket. I hope I have represented myself in the best manner whenever I wore the USF Jersey ! It has been an honor to be part of American College Cricket. It has always helped my cricket get better and I hope to be (more than) actively involved in the management helping in all the ways possible.”
Sai Ramesh (USF) – stats for 2010 & 2011 not included
https://www.crichq.com/#players/129981/statistics/club
