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By Gargi Banerjee
I reminisce on the glorious days of Bengal
and Bombay states in the areas of women's
cricket, while growing up as an adolescent. I
some how managed to meet an extremely talented
women cricketer and a convivial person. Her
unforgettable long, explosive, effortless,
relaxed, smooth bowling action will remain
unique. She is this entity in the cricket field,
when she gets into a match; she changes the way
a player thinks. When she enters the field, she
will be some sort of a factor in the match even
if it's just a mental factor. It's hard for a
young player to bat against something like that,
to play against a living legend."
Throughout the history of women's cricket there
will always be a segment of left arm bowlers
down from generation to generation. 'Diana
Eduljee,' for example, could be counted on to
empty one fort after another in the women's
cricket history. In this little world of women's
cricket, 'Diana' elicited much the same effect.
Nothing could paralyze a field of cricket as
much as this whispered collection of syllables.
A strong women that she is, Diana Eduljee's name
will always appear first in Indian women's
cricket history. Her contribution for Bombay,
West Zone, Western Railways, Indian Railways and
India is impalpable. However, this is not why I
look up to her. Her leadership for Indian
Railways and India, a great bowler, modest,
rich, and very comical, she got it all. One of
the greatest things about Diana is her ability
to think all positive, no matter if she wins or
loses, pretending to be perfect and therefore
unbeatable.
It was just a privilege to know her so
closely and it was great to have played with her
during my cricketing days. I didn't have much to
do with her in cricket because she had already
played for India by the time I got into the
action, but I always remember her first words of
encouragement for me. "Gargi you will be playing
for India and work hard", she was an icon as we
all know and just one of the nicest ladies you'd
ever meet off the field.
The women's cricket field would have been
enormously poorer if Diana hadn't been around.
She gave the Job security to so many women
cricketers who are working under Railways and
because of her women's cricket in India is
having the present star players like Mithali Raj,
Hemlata Kala, Jaya Sharma,Deepa Kulkarni, Neetu
David. Sunetra Paranjape, Arundhati Kirkirey.
In fact, many people in the world of women
cricket field see the women- cricketer known as
Diana as nothing more than a talented jerk, who
battled out with coaches, teammates and the
federation, one who does not shy away from tough
roles.
"Diana Eduljee was an incredibly innovative
cricketer and leader for the team. She was a
very good friend of mine and it was my privilege
to have known her. Quite simply, she was and she
is one of the most important figures in women's
cricket in the last twenty years. Her retirement
from the field of formal education did not mean
the end of Ms. Diana's involvement in cricket.
Social and office work continued to keep her
busy. She kept in touch with young women
cricketers and old friends and never forgot
cricket.
Sincerely, Ms. Diana, I appreciate all your
support and advice. It has been a real treat
working and playing cricket with you, and I look
forward for a long, productive association in
the years to come. Remember, cricketers like you
never retire, they just learn to work for free.
From Cricketfundas.com, congratulations for your
outstanding artistic presentation on Left arm
bowling, wish you all the best for your future
and for Indian Railways.
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