Cricketers face mixed results in MCA elections

Mumbai: While former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar secured 195 votes, more than even President Sharad Pawar who got re-elected for another two-year term in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections yesterday with 176 votes, other cricketers - barring Pravin Amre - got tripped.

Two Test players - Abey Kuruvilla and Lalchand Rajput - aligned with the 'Cricket First' panel floated by Vijay Patil who lost to Pawar by 34 votes in a straight fight - failed in their bid to become VP and Joint Secretary respectively.

Vengsakar, who had sided with the ruling group four years after tasting defeat against the late Vilasrao Deshmukh when he contested for the presidentship of MCA, polled 195 votes - the second-highest after Arman Malik who got 205 votes while being elected as a member of the managing committee.

Vengsarkar and BJP MLA and city party chief Ashish Shelar (183 votes) got elected as the two vice presidents of MCA and, in case Pawar is unable to attend a few BCCI meetings in future, the 116-Test veteran is all set to fill in for the NCP supremo.

Another former Test batsman Amre - who contested from Patil's panel - secured 170 votes to win a seat in the managing committee while former Mumbai left-arm spinner Sanjay Patil bit the dust.

Mayank Khandwala, a former Cricket Club of India left-arm spinner, also got tripped by Nitin Dalal in the race to become the new treasurer.