Curator Salgaonkar caught in sting operation

What has left senior board officials baffled is that Salgaoncar allowed a self-confessed bookie to accompany him to the main match pitch

October 25, 2017 06:46 pm | Updated October 26, 2017 10:06 am IST - Pune

 Ramesh Mhamunkar (Right) looking at the ground at Pune. Mhamunkar was named the point person for the centre wicket

Ramesh Mhamunkar (Right) looking at the ground at Pune. Mhamunkar was named the point person for the centre wicket

Ahead of the India-New Zealand second ODI here, Pandurang Salgaonkar, a long-time ground in-charge at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) International Cricket Stadium, caused much embarrassment to the cricket fraternity, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the MCA by engaging in conversation with two television journalists who posed as bookies.

Caught unawares, the MCA management, headed by president Abhay Apte, suspended Salagaonkar, a former Maharashtra fast bowler, from all positions in the MCA, barred him from entering the venue and stated that it would conduct an enquiry into the unsavoury episode.

Highly-placed sources revealed that there was a proposal by the BCCI Operations Team to change the pitch, but ICC match referee Chris Broad inspected and cleared it. It was the same pitch which Salgaonkar had worked on with assistance from BCCI-certified curator Ramesh Mhamunkar, who is employed by the Mumbai Cricket Association to look after the Wankhede Stadium.

In the course of a sting operation conducted by the two journalists, the 68-year-old Salgaonkar  predicted the number of runs that could be scored (at one time 337 and 340 at another), that the match would be a high-scoring one and the likely first-innings score of 337 can be chased down.

He also revealed that the pitch would assist the fast bowlers and although difficult, the pitch could be tinkered with in five minutes.

There was nothing new about these two revelations; a number of people including the captains are asked such things before the match and they respond in different ways, sometimes saying “a 270 or 280 wicket.”

However, Salgaonkar went to the extent — on the basis of the revelation by the TV channel — of taking the two journalists on a tour of the centre square and also agreed to share the money that they would make on betting.

Only accredited sports journalists are given access to the venue on match days and certain areas of the ground on pre-match days. The players and match officials area around the dressing room is prohibited for the media and officials. It is not known whether the two journalists were accredited by the BCCI or MCA.

BCCI acting-secretary Amitabh Choudhary said: “The BCCI has zero tolerance towards any activity that brings the game into disrepute. We have acted swiftly and ensured that there are no loopholes left ahead.”

Vinod Rai, head of CoA, said: “A detailed enquiry will be made and the matter will be dealt with utmost seriousness.’’ BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said in the release: “Strict action has been taken against the pitch curator and the employment relationship between Salgaonkar and MCA stands terminated.”

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