Sarna gets cracking

By Paul Pickering
FORMER Dandenong batsman Kumar Sarna is contemplating a return to top-level cricket after smashing an incredible double century in a Twenty20 match last week.
The Indian-born opener, who two years ago walked out on the Panthers and a Victorian Bushrangers rookie contract to return to the sub-continent, blasted an unbeaten 228 in his second game for Wonga Park in the Ringwood District Cricket Association last Tuesday.
The innings, which included 23 sixes, guided his side to a 20-over total of 4/277 and thrust the talented 21-year-old’s name back into the headlines.
“I was in a bit of a zone,” Sarna said afterwards. “It was just one of those days that I ended up hitting the ball pretty nicely.”
Sarna revealed that his ambitions of playing elite cricket in India had been cut down by illness shortly after arrival.
“I got hit by gut infections and went down completely for a year and a half, so I’ve been out of the game for a while. “I was thinking about getting back into the game (this year) and because Bruce (Waldron, former Dandenong assistant coach) was coaching down at Wonga Park, he asked me if I wanted to play.”
The former Australian under-19 representative’s decision to cut ties with Dandenong and the Bushrangers may have burnt some bridges, but Sarna has not ruled out a return to Premier Cricket.
“I’m not sure what the future holds, but maybe,” he said. “At the moment I’m enjoying the game again, and I seem to be going okay.”
Interestingly, Sarna’s innings last week overshadowed an appearance by Collingwood premiership star Dale Thomas, who batted at number four and kept wickets in a one-off outing for the Parkers.
“We put on 100-odd together and had a bit of fun out there,” Sarna said of his partnership with Thomas.
“He hit a few goods shots himself – he played some nice cover drives.”