When the Byculla school under-14 team was informed that lack of communication had caused their Inter-school semi-final football match being awarded to Jamnabai Narsee, Vile Parle, the players just could not stop their tears.

Even as the Anza boys settled down to watch the other under-16 Division IV semi-final, Jamnabai exhibited a priceless gesture of sportsmanship.And Hyacinth Nazareth, MSSA hockey secretary, was the saviour.

He started the negotiations between the Jamnabai sports director and Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) that went in favour of Anza. Chanchal Singh, Jamnabai sports director, informed The Express Newsline that he is happy and ready to play again as the best team should qualify for the final.

The moment Anza players got the news, all came running from the stands to express gratitude -- hugging and shaking hands with the Jamnabai players -- for a kind gesture displayed by the team from Parle.

The semi-final will nowbe played at the same venue tomorrow.

Anza had to play their Inter-school football semi-final against the Jamnabai at the MSSA-Castrol, Azad Maidan on Tuesday. And they were verbally informed by Owen Ferreira, MSSA football secretary, that they will have to play on September 10 at 4 p.m. But today, at 3 p.m., Jamnabai Narsee was present and waiting for their opponents. A call was made to Anza team coach Leroy Nunes to get his team's confirmation of participation. The team reported at 3.30 p.m. and the moment the players were informed that the match has been awarded to Jamnabai, they just could not control their tears.

The coach himself broke down and could not talk. But later, he murmured, ``We have brought them up to this level and this might kill their morale.''But their opponents were sympathetic to Anza. As Rishabh Parekh, one of the Jamnabai players said, ``Although we have been awarded the match, we feel that we have won the match unfairly.''

Another player Kanav Hingorani said, ``I feel guiltywatching them.''But Hingorani and the other Jamnabai players need not suffer guilt anymore. With this display of exemplary sporting spirit, Jamnabai has set a perfect example on how the game is to be played. And Anza can hope that the only tears that will flow tomorrow will be those of joy.