Absenteeism mars CAB's annual awards function

KOLKATA: There were absentees galore at Netaji Indoor Stadium, taking the sheen off the Cricket Association of Bengal's annual awards function here on Friday afternoon.
Most of the leading prize winners - Abhimanyu Easwaran (best cricketer), Abhishek Raman (gentleman cricketer), Ashok Dinda (best fast bowler), Saurabh Singh (best U-23 cricketer) - were not present to collect the awards in person as the ceremony dragged on a tad too long.
While Easwaran has left for Bengaluru to join the Board President's XI side which will face South Africa A from Monday, Raman and Saurabh are both representing CAB XI in the KSCA meet, also in Bengaluru.
Dinda, who was adjudged best fast bowler for the eighth consecutive year, is out of the country on a family holiday.
Most of the senior Bengal players, including skipper Manoj Tiwary, were conspicuous by their absence. Coach Sairaj Bahutule did turn up and presented some of the prizes.
The only notable players to grace the function were India Under-19 pacer Ishan Porel, who received the best U-19 cricketer of the year award, and best senior women's cricketer Dipti Sharma.
Dipti, who played a key role in helping Bengal advance to the Elite group this season, said she was enjoying her stint in Bengal. Refuting rumours of her leaving the state to play for Railways in the ensuing season, the Agra girl said: "I will be playing for Bengal this time too."
Former Bengal pacer Barun Burman hogged the limelight as he was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by chief guest Keshari Nath Tripathi, the Governor of West Bengal.
Strangely, Burman was not asked to express his feelings after receiving the coveted award.
CAB president Sourav Ganguly congratulated all the award winners for the hard work that they put in throughout the year. He also expressed the desire to see a Ranji Trophy-winning Bengal team soon. "It's time we won the Ranji Trophy again. I hope to celebrate with a Ranji Trophy-winning side soon," he stated.
The Governor echoed the former India skipper's sentiments. "Bengal are doing well. But we are not satisfied and want them to do better," he said during his brief address.
NOTABLE WINNERS
Kartick Bose Lifetime Achievement Award: Barun Barman
Cricketer of the year: Abhimanyu Easwaran
Gentleman cricketer of the year: Abhishek Raman
Best bowler: Ashok Dinda
Best U-23 cricketer: Saurabh Singh
Best U-19 cricketer: Ishan Porel
Best U-19 bowler: Akash Pandey
Best U-16 cricketer: Toufik Uddin Mondal
Best senior women cricketer: Dipti Sharma
Best U-19 women cricketer: Richa Ghosh.