Come Saturday and Ruturang Housing Society witnesses cricket matches played on the approach Road. The Ruturang Cricket League will host eight cricket matches comprising players in the diverse age group from 12 years to 65 years. 
This will be the fifth season of the matches where captains and players are chosen by bidding, keeping up with the Indian Premier Cricket League. This year, the matches are on Jan 21-22 and Jan 26, 28 and 29. The Ruturang Association for Sports Interests and Cultural Activity (RASICA) Club was founded by ten to fifteen society members.
The club is run on an amateur level for over two years, has eight teams of over 60 players. Four teams comprise men and boys while the other four comprise women and girls. The 8-over half-pitch matches are played with tennis ball on 50-foot wide road of half a Km length, the road is very convenient as it has less traffic since it is  closed on the one end.
The league also honours the special achievers at the end of the tournaments with titles like man of the match, man of the series, maximum scorer, maximum wickets taker and winning team get precise rewards. "We have many sponsors from within the society and some industries sponsors as well," informed Rajiv Bhide, one of the founder members of the club.
Yogesh Joshi is captain of one team and also the founder member of the club. He said, "Around 40 people from all age groups play cricket every Saturday here. This gives physical fitness especially for working class. There are post game brain storming discussions covering all topic of the life which creates a lot of bonding as well."
The captains are handed over fictitious Rs 1 Cr and are told to bid for the players based on their capability and skills. The bidding process charges the atmosphere as every player watches it with great excitement. "Even the cricket matches are given the theme based names. Every season, their names change according to rivers, mountains, colours and so on," informed Bhide.
The club also holds Dahi Handi, Dandiya on Saturday during Navratri, funfair, national festivals including Republic Day and Independence Day. The members also encourage the other players outside their societies who play regularly on weekends. The club also has cycle club with over 15 members that go peddling some 30 Km every weekend.
Apart from this, cookery competitions, basket ball competitions are other events took place at the society premises. The Rasika Cultural Club has come up with a directory of all its members and doctors, ambulance, hospitals, plumbers, vegetable vendors and other services.
For details call Rajiv Bhide,  9881240170

--SANJEEVANI DIDMISHE

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