Bengal Cricket: All-rounder Arka Sarkar aiming for first-class cricket after taking a hat-trick

Arka Sarkar, the all-rounder from Durgapur, West Bengal took a hat-trick against George Telegraph Club in the Kolkata First Division Group A clash. Playing for Bhawanipore Club, Arka finished the match with 70/6 and was adjudged the man of the match as well.

Arka took the hat-trick in the second inning of the match as his team was really close to earning one extra point from the match. Arun Mallick was his first victim of the three. A well set Arun tried to cut the ball and was caught in the gully by Subhrajit Das. Then, it was an inswinger that cleaned bowled Shadab Hussain in his first ball.

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On a hat-trick, Arka tried nothing but hit the stumps. An out-swinging yorker was good enough for him to rattle the stumps of Vikash Kesari.

Coming from an injury, Arka felt great to contribute to the team's cause. "It feels great to take a hattrick. Moreover, to contribute to the team's cause makes it more special," Arka said in a telephonic interview with Sportz Point.

"We were looking for 8 points. We only needed 4 wickets within four runs for that. My hat-trick took the team closer to that. It would have been great if we could have earned the extra one point. Though we are happy the way we are playing," Arka Sarkar added.

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Before taking the hat-trick, Arka already had contributed with the bat. He scored a quickfire knock of 54 from just 32 balls to give his team a lead of 186 runs.

Earlier, Arka missed the U25 Challenger Trophy due to an injury in his shoulder. A grade 1 tear in the shoulder made him sit one month at home. "Injuries are part and parcel of the game. I got a shoulder injury in the intra-squad match in the U25 camp. It was disappointing for me. But I am fully fit now and looking forward to the season," Arka told.

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Along with his goal to be the highest wicket-taker this season, his main goal is to win Championship with Bhawanipore. "I want to be the highest wicket-taker of the season. Moreover, I want to win championships for the club. That's the goal now," Arka Sarkar added.

"The bigger goal is to obviously play the Ranji Trophy. For now, I want to get back to the U25 team and do well there. If I do good in the board matches, I guess I will be closer to my goal."

Arka who started his career as a pace bowler is now a genuine all-rounder. His 32-ball 100 for DKS Club made him a star of the Kolkata Maidan in a flash. That led him to play for the Bengal U19 team and eventually a call up from the then Champions of Kolkata First Divison club, East Bengal. After that, there was no looking back for the all-rounder.

"As I am doing both batting and bowling with the same intensity, I am focusing on getting fitter every day, working harder than others. I am now very strict with my diet as well to maintain myself fit," Arka added.

Arka till now has taken 7 wickets in the three matches he featured for Bhawanipore this season in the league. In addition, he has also scored 78 runs with an average of 78 and a staggering strike rate of 127.87.