The year that we won the plate championship was the toughest year for me personally. 2004 was when the dengue epidemic was really bad and I got infected a couple of months before the season started. My captain and Team management stood by me and they assured me of my place on the team if my health permitted. It took a lot of effort to be able to be back on the field and play first class cricket for 4 months! I scored a 100 in the semis with a torn ligament in the knees. This was my most challenging and rewarding season.

The British Universities Championship final match at Lords playing for the combined Anglia Ruskin University and Cambridge University team in 2012 has to be the most overwhelming experience I’ve had on a cricket ground. The majesty, tradition, gravity and beauty of the place is palpable. Every wall in the Pavilion is a part of cricketing history. The oil paintings, the portraits and the memorabilia in the grand old structure is breathtaking! The names of the members of the MCC who gave the highest sacrifice in the Great Wars are etched along the grand staircase. This was the first time ever that I carried my phone with me on the field during warm up before the game. I did not want to miss anything and kept clicking photos till the coach told me off! Lifting the trophy and being congratulated by the members was a humbling experience and one that I will cherish forever.

Satyajit Satbhai,

BCCI, Match Referee

Pune