By Qaiser Mohammad Ali, IANS
Mumbai : Following regular complaints about the deteriorating quality of balls used in domestic tournaments, the Indian cricket board has banned the public sale of cricket balls bearing its logo.
In the last few years, captains and players have made numerous complaints about the worsening quality of the balls used in domestic matches. At times, 20 or more balls were changed in a match after they went out of shape.
The board has now finally asked the ball suppliers, Sansperils Greenlands (SG), to immediately improve the quality and to also stop selling balls in the market with the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) logo.
“We had a detailed discussion with SG representative Kailash Anand recently, and it has been decided to place a central order for the supply of balls for all 2007-08 domestic tournaments. He was also told to stop public sale of balls bearing the BCCI logo,” a top BCCI official told IANS.
“He has assured us that the company would take steps to improve the quality of the balls and that there would be fewer complaints in the new season, which began this month with the Irani Trophy.”
*-*
No stadium, no match
The BCCI has made it clear to all its affiliated state associations that if they do not build their own stadiums by 2009, no international matches would be allotted to them. And the board has every right to give that ultimatum, as lately there is no dearth of money for the affiliated units, thanks mainly to the windfall from media/television rights that the board distributes to them.
Recently, the board’s finance committee approved huge infrastructure subsidies for six associations to help them build their own stadiums. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, whose president N. Srinivasan is also BCCI’s treasurer, was the biggest beneficiary with Rs.48.50 million, followed by Andhra Cricket Association (Rs.46.20 million), Punjab Cricket Association (Rs.41.55 million), Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (Rs.27.17 million), Hyderabad Cricket Association (Rs.17.89 million) and Vidarbha Cricket Association (Rs.4.9 million), as per the BCCI’s 2006-07 annual report. More states are in the queue.
*-*
Twenty20 matches BCCI’s baby
The Indian cricket board has decided not to allot Twenty20 matches against visiting teams to any of its affiliated associations. That is why it chose Cricket Club of India (CCI) for Saturday’s lone Twenty20 match against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium, owned by the CCI.
“The board will be paying a certain amount to the staging venue hosting Twenty20 matches and will keep all the profits,” a BCCI official told IANS.
The Brabourne Stadium was chosen as it no longer hosts any Test or One-Day International. They are now held at the nearby Wankhede Stadium.