On eve of summit,CAB balance sheet looks on course

After a year in his old office he ensured that the CAB had a few positives on its balance sheet.

The Bengal Ranji team’s elevation from Plate to Elite Group stands out. But this feat belongs to the cricketers,especially to Sourav Ganguly whose half-century against Goa in the final group league match was the difference between promotion and status quo. But some progress has been made on the administrative front also.

The CAB now has a land for its academy — an 8.5 acre plot at Kalyani where the centre of excellence will be built. “We want to finish it by 2011…it will be our gift to Bengal cricket in the World Cup year,” CAB joint-secretary Biswarup Dey told this daily. “We have already acquired the land. The official process of inviting tenders will start after the new committees are formed,” he added.

Asked,what are the positive steps the association has taken in the last one year,Dey said: “We have started a uniform coaching programme in all 18 districts. We have also started four new tournaments in districts. Our next target is to set up at least one cricket centre in all 64 sub-divisions. We want to go to the grassroots. So far,cricket is restricted mainly to district towns. We want to go deep. We will go to the villages and will provide them with all kinds of support,” he added.

Renewal of the Eden Gardens lease is also another feather in Dalmiya’s cap,an aspect in which his predecessor failed miserably. The CAB coffer becomes fatter after Rs 15 crore profit,thanks to the IPL.

But where have all the big boys gone? Losing out on international matches remains a big blot. The Eden Gardens used to be the home of Indian cricket. The stadium barely hosts any match of significance nowadays.

The ruling group blames the Prasun Mukherjee led administration for Eden’s plight. “It was decided in a BCCI meeting in February 2007 that the Eden Gardens would be placed 22nd in the list as far as the rotation was concerned. The then president of the CAB didn’t raise a voice and we are facing the consequence,” Dey explained.

The national selector from East Zone Raja Venkat,who represents the opposition group,begs to differ. “In February 2007,the BCCI decided to have a balanced rotation policy. Jagmohan Dalmiya used to bully others when he was the BCCI president and a lot of centres were deprived of international matches. The CAB got the cake almost all the time. The BCCI decided to set the record straight and now the Bengal cricket is bearing the brunt,” he told The Indian Express.

He also didn’t agree that the CAB took forward steps after Dalmiya returned to power. “The present administration cares for everything but cricket. This is the reason why Bengal’s performance was dismal at the junior levels last season. Bengal failed to get past the quarter-final levels in al age-group tournaments. Now they are talking about the proposed academy. I am curious to know when the plans will materialise,” he said with a hint of sarcasm.

He also lashed out at the present administration for allowing the Ranadeb Bose-Ashoke Dinda issue to drag on. “They took an awful lot of time to resolve the issue. It should have been settled then and there. Politics took precedence at the expense of cricket,” Venkat opined.

All said and done,Dalmiya’s return has augured well for the CAB after Prasun Mukherjee’s flop show. The former BCCI president is no longer a force at national level and may be this is the reason why he is not that assertive any more.

Dalmiya replies to Governor
On the eve of the CAB’s annual general meeting,the state association president Jagmohan Dalmiya said that he has written back to Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi regarding the Eden floodlights issue.

Gandhi had written to the CAB chief,calling upon the CAB administration to judiciously use Eden’s heavy-wattage floodlights and for financial contributing in the drive to restore the city’s heritage sites and parks.

Dalmiya said that in his reply to the Governor,he’s welcomed his suggestions. “He gave two specific suggestions,which we welcome. And we have written back to him,explaining our stand on the two fronts. Regarding the floodlights,we have explained that we switch on the lights only when they are needed,like during matches and for immersion at the Hooghly. As for restoration projects,we wrote that we already contribute in upkeep of grounds that are under CAB’s control,like JU Campus ground in Salt Lake,Deshbandhu Park,Deshopriyo Park,and several others,” Dalmiya told reporters today. The CAB president is set to continue for another term at the helm.

Waugh waiting game: Blame it on the blazer!
After eight years of intense debate and speculation,Ganguly has finally come up with an explanation for making Steve Waugh wait during toss at the historic 2001 Test series in India.

“During that time,the tradition was for the two captains to wear the team blazer while going out for the toss. Now,on that day,I couldn’t find my blazer and took some time to get finally. That was the reason behind the delay,” a candid Ganguly explained during his quiz show for a Bengali TV channel. Quizmaster Ganguly came up with the surprise explanation on the sets of the show when asked by a contestant to reveal the reason.