Today NZ Herald reports that Auckland's next mayor is unlikely
to stand in the way of Auckland getting more test cricket.New Zealand's largest
city misses out on most international test cricket because it doesn't have an
accredited ground.While Eden Park has hosted test cricket against India as
recently as 2014, it had to receive special approval from the ICC to do so, and
most test series in New Zealand do not include matches in Auckland.Most
candidates are open to the idea of Western Springs becoming a boutique ground,
which could have permanent ICC accreditation.
Back home, the lot of drama unfolding after Eden Garden’s test
where India bagged the Series with a big 178 run win. On
Thursday, the Supreme Court of India will hear the BCCI's response to the Lodha
Committee's status report, which had recommended that the board's top officials
- the President, Secretary, Joint secretary and Treasurer - be
"superseded" with "immediate effect" and replaced by a
panel of administrators. The Committee said that such a step was necessary
because the BCCI had failed to put in place recommendations passed by the
Supreme Court by the September 30 deadline.
Holkar dynasty was a Hindu Maratha royal house. The Holkars ruled as Maratha Rajas, and later
as Maharajas ofIndore in Central India as an independent member of the Maratha
Empire until 1818. Later, their kingdom became a princely stateunder the
protectorate of British India. Sun in
their emblem asserts theirSuryavanshi lineage.
The dynasty was established by MalharRao Holkar
who in 1720s, led Maratha armies in
Malwa region, and in 1733 was granted 9 parghanas in the vicinity of Indore by
the Peshwa.
Madhya
Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) is going ahead with preparations for
conducting the third and final India-New Zealand Test at it's Holkar Stadium in
Indore from October 8-12. The stadium named after the dynasty, has a seating capacity of around 30,000
spectators. It is also equipped with flood lights for night matches.
Swashbuckler, Virender Sehwag recorded ODI score of 219 at this ground. At a time, when the stadium was to make its
Test debut, doubts had been sown over the conduct of the Test and the India New
Zealand series itself, as the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R M Lodha
Committee stopped disbursement of large
sums of money to the various state units by BCCI after it decided on this
course of action at the emergent working committee meeting on September 30. Reacting
to the Lodha committee's instructions to its bankers BCCI president, Anurag
Thakur had said, "Most state units are unsure how they will be able to
host games in this home season. They need to decide whether they can host the
games or not, with or without money.
Immediately,
Justice RM Lodha defended and clarified
the panel’s recommendations in the aftermath of BCCI’s threat to cancel the on-going India versus New
Zealand series with a Test and five ODI’s. He said the panel has asked the board to only
stop disbursing funds to the state associations and not stop routine cricket matters.
On their part, a New Zealand spokesperson said nothing has been communicated to
them either on that front and as far as the Black Caps are concerned, the tour
was going ahead as scheduled.
Another
point of contention between the Lodha panel recommendations and the BCCI is
playing of next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and Champions Trophy. The
schedule has India playing Australia first followed by the IPL and immediately
the Champions Trophy in England. However, Lodha panel recommendations say there
has to be a 15 day period before and after the IPL which won’t be possible if
all three go ahead. This leaves India with the decision to take between the IPL
or the Champions Trophy. Justice Lodha handed BCCI a lifeline on this dilemma.
Today,
the Indian Express reports that the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) apparent
tactic to draw public
sympathy and pressure Lodha Committee may lead them to further trouble.
After the panel directed two banks to not disburse money, the BCCI late on
Monday threatened to call off the New Zealand series saying there would be lack
of funds. Justice RM Lodha clarified on
Tuesday saying the panel had directed banks to not disburse large amounts and
had not objected giving out funds for routine administration. Experts, however, felt BCCI tried to ‘arm-twist’ and ‘misinterpret’ the
committee’s direction deliberately so
that they could draw public sympathy. The Lodha panel again sent a letter to its
office-bearers on Tuesday censuring BCCI. “It is unfortunate that the directions/contents
of the e-mail have been misinterpreted, as is evident from the Press reports to state that the present India-New
Zealand series is at stake. The Committee has not frozen the bank accounts of
BCCI. Nor has it objected to the banking
operations/payments relating to routine administration and conduct of Cricket
matches/tournaments/activities.
The
e-mail sent by panel secretary to the
two banks stated that the amount in question was only about the one cleared in
the emergent working committee meeting held on September 30. The panel is likely to apprise the SC of the
developments on October 6. “We never told them not to release funds for routine
affairs and conducing matches. BCCI are just trying to mislead to draw
sympathy, and we will bring this to the notice of the court,” a source in the panel
is quoted as saying.
It is not Cricket !! ~ lot of disrepute to the game !!!
With
regards – S. Sampathkumar
5th
Oct 2016.
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