100 & counting: This UP match referee is on a roll

Lucknow: Not out at 100 calls for celebration for a batter but it is a bigger feat for a match referee.Former Ranji cricketer from UttarPradesh, Sunil Chaturvedi, has achieved the milestone in his journey spanning 25 years.Currently, he is the chief match referee of the UPT20 League being played in Chaturvedi’s hometown Kanpur.He has represented UP in 72 first-class matches and 16 A-listed matches as a wicketkeeper from 1979 to 1992.In the inaugural match of UPT20 between Kanpur Superstars and Noida Super Kings, Chaturvedi fined the latter for slow over rate.“This tournament looks like an international event. The matches are exciting and the scores are competitive. UPCA and BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla are sharing a huge responsibility. I am confident that this league will be successful. Young players are getting a good exposure here,” he said.“I do not compromise with rules and regulations and I exercise utmost care while making decisions. I have been serving as a referee since 1999. I will try to guide the umpires during the league,” he added.According to sources, delay was detected in bowling of two overs by Noida Super Kings due to delay in fielding adjustments.On the second day of the UPT20 League, when the match between Kashi Rudras and Meerut Mavericks moved to super over, Karan Sharma named slow left arm Shiva Singh for bowling but when Meerut Mavericks named left hand finisher Rinku Singh for super over, Karan requested the referee to let him replace Shiva with another bowler but he refused citing the rule book. Left hand fInisher Rinku Singh’s three successive sixes to Shiva in super over helped Meerut Mavericks beat Kashi Rudras in the tie-breaker and start the campaign on a winning note.