The Andhra Cricket Association was established after the formation of the Andhra State after breaking away from Composite Madras State in 1953 to provide the cricketers from the State an opportunity to play the game at the highest level, secretary ACA Gokaraju Gangaraju said.
The cricketers from Andhra had approached the Madras Cricket Association to be allowed to play for them, but, they were turned down. On the advice of legendary cricketer Col C.K. Nayudu, the members of Guntur Recreation Club approached the BCCI for membership and the Andhra Cricket Association came into being in 1953, he said.
In the last six decades the ACA has produced two international cricketers, M.S.K. Prasad and Venugopal Rao, and a number of players at the junior level. It has hosted seven international cricket matches, two in Vijayawada and five in Visakhapatnam. Over 100 players have played for the Andhra State earning a reputation for quality cricket.
The ACA would be felicitating cricketers who played for ACA at the two-day diamond jubilee celebrations being organised here on Saturday and Sunday. International cricketers V.V.S. Laxman, Srinath, Anil Kumble and Shivlal Yadav, among others and senior BCCI functionaries such as Srinivasan, Pandav of Punjab, Mathew of Kerala, Vinod Patke and Ketan Desai of Goa would be attending the celebrations. Ministers Ayyana Patrudu and Ganta Srinivasa Rao are expected to attend the function on Sunday apart from Visakhapatnam MP and BJP state president K Haribabu, he said.
