The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Allan Hurst visits Uppal stadium

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Saturday, Sep 08, 2007
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Allan Hurst visits Uppal stadium

HYDERABAD: ICC match referee Allan Hurst had a three-hour inspection of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) here on Friday and informed the Hyderabad Cricket Association officials that his job was to get the required feedback on various subjects and report it back to the ICC for final decision.

The ICC official was taken around the venue by HCA secretary N. Shivlal Yadav and former Test cricketer and now national selector S.L. Venkatapathi Raju. “I have come here to study the suitability of the venue for international cricket,” is all Allan Hurst told the media said after the visit. When asked if his visit was part of the ICC process to grant official Test status to Hyderabad or take stock of security scenario ahead of the India-Australia one-dayer (October 5), Hurst said: “These queries will be answered by another ICC official and not by me.”

According to sources in the HCA, Hurst did discuss any security aspect in detail. He enquired about other aspects like availability of mechanised rollers, decent drainage system and ‘nets’. “He was happy that of the venues he had inspected this was the biggest,” was his comment to the local officials.

HCA sources said Hurst sought details about players including the dressing rooms, transport from the hotel and stay at the ground during practice sessions.

The ICC referee inspected the proposed media centre, the umpires rooms among other things. Armed with a huge check-list, Hurst spent more about three hours at the venue, even walked up to the playing area during the tea-break in the on-going Moin-ud-Dowla match between Hyderabad and Madhya Pradesh.

HCA officials also briefed him about the commencement of floodlighting works. “We informed him that within two months, the lights will be installed,” the senior HCA official remarked. “Well, I cannot promise you anything right now. That is not my job. It is the ICC that will take the final decision on any subject based on my report,” said Hurst.

He is scheduled to visit the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Spinners’ camp

The Sports Coaching Foundation (SCF) will conduct the Mumtaz Hussain spinners’ camp for boys’ and girls’ between 11 and 19 from September 12. . Details may be had from the SCF, ph: 93965 59440.

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