CoA to release funds for India-Oz ODI
The SC appointed committee keeps TNCA out of the loop
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s (TNCA) latest attempt to arm-twist the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) hasn’t yielded the desired result. CoA has derailed TNCA’s move to put the first ODI between India and Australia in Chennai on September 17 under the cloud of uncertainty by agreeing to release Rs 1.5 crore demanded by the state association for hosting the five-match series opener.
TNCA, the stronghold of former BCCI supremo N Srinivasan, had issued a veiled threat to CoA and BCCI that it would be unable to host Australia’s warm-up games and the first ODI due to lack of sufficient funds. According to TNCA, Rs 1.5 crore was required to pay for the Australian team’s security cover, hotel stay, entertainment tax and other miscellaneous expenses. TNCA was of the view that since the Australians would be landing in Chennai on September 8, more than a week before the first ODI, it would require an estimated Rs 20 lakh per day to host them.
CoA, however, has decided that instead of releasing the money to the association, it would make payments directly to the authorities and departments concerned. “CoA would pay directly to the police authorities, tax department, team hotel and other departments,” said a BCCI insider. “When TNCA isn’t adhering to the Lodha Committee recommendations, there’s no point in releasing the funds to it. TNCA shouldn’t worry about the payments, CoA would take of that,” the official said.
It’s not the first time that TNCA has cited fund crunch. In January this year, the association had refused to host India Under-19 team’s four-day matches against England colts citing the same reason. The matches were later shifted to Mumbai.
TNCA, however, has been successful in shifting India A matches against New Zealand A from Chennai to Vijayawada and Vizag. The two teams were scheduled to play two four-day Tests and five ODIs in Chennai in October. But TNCA, citing funding problem and the unavailability of private grounds, requested BCCI to shift the matches.
Meanwhile, BCCI has decided to host the Duleep Trophy, to be played from September 7 to 29, in Lucknow and Kanpur. Both the cities will hold two matches each, with Lucknow holding the final. The tournament will feature 45 cricketers and the matches will be played with pink ball and under floodlights. BCCI had earlier scrapped the tournament but BCCI’s technical committee head Sourav Ganguly objected to it.
The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s (TNCA) latest attempt to arm-twist the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) hasn’t yielded the desired result. CoA has derailed TNCA’s move to put the first ODI between India and Australia in Chennai on September 17 under the cloud of uncertainty by agreeing to release Rs 1.5 crore demanded by the state association for hosting the five-match series opener.
TNCA, the stronghold of former BCCI supremo N Srinivasan, had issued a veiled threat to CoA and BCCI that it would be unable to host Australia’s warm-up games and the first ODI due to lack of sufficient funds. According to TNCA, Rs 1.5 crore was required to pay for the Australian team’s security cover, hotel stay, entertainment tax and other miscellaneous expenses. TNCA was of the view that since the Australians would be landing in Chennai on September 8, more than a week before the first ODI, it would require an estimated Rs 20 lakh per day to host them.
CoA, however, has decided that instead of releasing the money to the association, it would make payments directly to the authorities and departments concerned. “CoA would pay directly to the police authorities, tax department, team hotel and other departments,” said a BCCI insider. “When TNCA isn’t adhering to the Lodha Committee recommendations, there’s no point in releasing the funds to it. TNCA shouldn’t worry about the payments, CoA would take of that,” the official said.
It’s not the first time that TNCA has cited fund crunch. In January this year, the association had refused to host India Under-19 team’s four-day matches against England colts citing the same reason. The matches were later shifted to Mumbai.
TNCA, however, has been successful in shifting India A matches against New Zealand A from Chennai to Vijayawada and Vizag. The two teams were scheduled to play two four-day Tests and five ODIs in Chennai in October. But TNCA, citing funding problem and the unavailability of private grounds, requested BCCI to shift the matches.
Meanwhile, BCCI has decided to host the Duleep Trophy, to be played from September 7 to 29, in Lucknow and Kanpur. Both the cities will hold two matches each, with Lucknow holding the final. The tournament will feature 45 cricketers and the matches will be played with pink ball and under floodlights. BCCI had earlier scrapped the tournament but BCCI’s technical committee head Sourav Ganguly objected to it.
(Courtesy: The Tribune)
