The Hindu : ACA to bid for NZ-Australia match

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - Cricket

ACA to bid for NZ-Australia match

By Our Sports Reporter

VIJAYAWADA JUNE 25. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to allot the one-day international match between Australia and New Zealand in September to the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA).

ACA is bidding to host this match as part of its golden jubilee celebrations this year,

Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of BCCI, is likely to take up this matter at the two-day working committee meeting in Delhi from July 2. The 23-point agenda for the meeting will also consider the proposed visit of the Sri Lanka `A' team to India and hosting of the Asian under-17 championship. The committee is determined to take up the scheduling of the domestic calendar in a manner that benefits the performing cricketers, unlike last season when the premier limited-overs tournament, the Deodhar Trophy, commenced only after the 2003 World Cup team was selected.

The ACA has also proposed to the BCCI to have its annual general body meeting before the match at the newly-constructed cricket stadium in Vizag. It may be recalled that BCCI had given a grant of Rs. 4 crores to the ACA for constructing the stadium. The naming of the stadium will be done during the match.

Some of the other events planned as part of the celebrations include felicitating the players who represented Andhra over the years, honouring the umpires and some of the senior journalists who contributed towards the growth of the game in the region. The former office-bearers will also be presented silver mementoes. A budget of Rs. 20 lakhs has been earmarked for the celebrations.

Disclosing some of the details of the executive committee meeting of the ACA held recently, Mr. N. Venkat Rao, secretary of ACA and chairman of the Zonal Cricket Academies, pointed out that ACA would give Rs.10 lakhs as maintenance to all districts where sites have been identified for constructing cricket stadiums. Such sites have been identified in Vizianagaram, Anantapur, Kurnool and Kakinada.

The ACA also decided to continue with Meher Baba as the coach for the 2003-2004 season in view of the "creditable'' performance of the Andhra team last year. In an apparent bid to give a fillip to the sport in the districts, the ACA enhanced the subsidy from Rs. 8,500 to Rs. 15,000 and the coaching subsidy from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,400 for conducting inter-district matches. The umpires fee was also hiked by Rs. 25, besides the other allowances.

In another welcome gesture, the ACA released Rs. 20,000 towards medical expenses for the ailing S. Mushtaq Ali, former secretary of Srikakulam District Cricket Association.

The secretary also made it clear that they had no proposal to construct another cricket stadium near Mangalagiri near here on the 20-acre site purchased by ACA. Quite significantly, it was revealed that all the State Associations which were not hosting any internationals have also been getting the BCCI annual grant of about Rs. 80 lakhs every year while those which staged matches were getting about Rs. 1 crore. The BCCI is likely to deliberate on this point as some of the Associations like Jammu & Kashmir were not even hosting Ranji matches but still getting the annual grant.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport