ADDITIONAL CONTACT NAMES:
Alkesh Solanki (Alistair) - 07960 942 582

Ekta CC was founded in 1982 by three Dar-Es-Salaam 'Rafiki's': Pradip Solanki (Peter), Dilip Dusara (Doctor) and Pradip Modessa (Zo Man) who wanted to play cricket on Sundays after toiling hard all week as a panel beaters in Peter's newly opened business, Majestic Autos.

The club was formed initially playing as RAJPUT DHOBI YOUTHS (from the nath of all the playing members). Then the club renamed itself in 1983 as Majestic Cricket Club and comprised of the founders equally cricket crazy friends and relatives from the homeland, Tanzania.

Majestic CC played all over London but mainly in Surrey, Kent and South London as all the members were residing south of the river. Without a doubt the club is proud to be a "south of the river" club. Home grounds varied yearly, from Dulwich Park to Blackheath's famous Hare & Billet Lane. Peter was the first captain of the club and apart from a few seasons in the mid-eighties, he continued to skipper the side until 1996.

The spiritual home of the club is Majestic Autos, in Penge, London (AKA the garage). The garage is where the club has all its team meetings, Bar-B-Que parties and the AGM. If you ever need to contact any of the 25 players who play for EKTA just ring up at the garage and it is highly likely that they will be there!

In 1992 the club changed its name the EKTA YOUTH CC after Peter's younger brother, Ramesh Solanki (GHUNGHAI) emigrated to the UK from Tanzania and missed playing for his beloved EKTA in Dar-Es-Salaam. Ghunghai gently persuaded club members that the name change was for the better!

Ghunghai was instrumental in keeping the team afloat in the late eighties to early nineties. With his influence the club started playing competitive league cricket in 1993. In 1994 the club joined the Middlesex Premier Cricket League (MPCL) with help from Satish Solanki (Satyo) who played for West CC at the time.

In 1995 the club won the Division Three Championship and Ramesh Solanki (Ghunghai) was voted the Best Bowler in the division. Player of the year that year was Viru Kamania (VK Chund), who left the UK to return to Tanzania permanently.

Viru became the captain of Tanzania national side in 1999 and has been given the honour of skippering EAST AFRICA for the ICC tournament to be held in Canada in June and July 2001. This is proudest honour bestowed on the club. Suresh Raval (Master) has also represented the national side back in the late 60’s and early to mid 70’s.

In 1996 after winning the first two league games in Division Two, sadly, the club was relegated mainly due to Ekta's colossus VK Chund emigrated to Tanzania. The team has only just recovered from the 1996 season!

A new captain was elected in 1997, Vipul Patel (Pully), who captained the club until the middle of the 2000 season.

The club has undergone many up's and downs in its 19 year history. However, this season the club is in position of great strength fielding two sides every Sunday and playing 6 games on Saturdays.

Both the 1st and 2nd Eleven's play league cricket. The former in MPCL and the latter in the North West Cricket League (NWCL). Peter (who celebrated his 50th birthday this year) is the skipper of the 2nds and Paresh Solanki is the talented rookie skipper of the 1st Eleven.

The club also has 12 players who are between the ages of 11-19, all "champing at the bit" to show their game. With training held twice a week, by the colt's coach and trainer Alkesh Solanki (Alistair) at Dulwich Park, the youngsters are put through their gruelling but effective paces. The club is very proud of the fact that it is a multi-ethnic team, with players originating from Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Italy, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and England.

Any "south of the river" cricketers are welcome to contact me if they want to play for EKTA. As they say in the old country 'KARIBU'!