Speaking on the occasion, Khanna praised Union Sporting Club for conducting the inter-school cricket tournament in a magnificent manner. ``The school tournament has been providing excellent exposure to budding talents, among whom some have gone on to play first class cricket. I thank Union Sporting Club for rendering yeomen service for the benefit of cricket at the grassroots level,`` said Khanna, who starred in India`s Asia Cup win at Sharjah in April, 1984.

Also a dashing middle-order batsman, Khanna, however, advised cricket organisations of the state to conduct multi-day matches for the school-level players. ``Though Twenty20 format has assumed greater popularity, I would suggest clubs and associations to organise 80-over matches on Saturdays and Sundays to enable budding cricketers improve their technique,`` opined Khanna.

In keeping with the tradition, Union Sporting Club felicitated four eminent persons on the occasion with citations and cash incentive of Rs 5,000 each. The four recipients included state under-19 cricket captain Abhilash Mallick, boxing coach Shankar Prasad Adhikari, former physical educationist Purna Chandra Patnaik and cine star Anubhav Mohanty.

Brief score: Saraswati Sishu Mandir 135/9 in 25 overs (Abhishek Ray 30, Rakesh Behera 23, Biswajit Biswal 20; Abhishek Paramanik 3/21) lost to Cambridge School 137/3 in 23.5 overs (Rohit Behera 54, Abhishek Paramanik 33 n.o) by 7 wkts.
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LEFT: Cambridge School boys lift the PVR Murty Memorial Trophy in Cuttack on April 25, 2011.

RIGHT: Man of the tournament Abhishek Paramanik with the bike he received as prize in Cuttack on April 25, 2011.