Bengal146;s Ranji opener in limbo

Laxmi Ratan Shukla 038; Co were scheduled to take on Assam at the Maligaon ground, near Guwahati in the Ranji Trophy opener. However, in the wake of today8217;s explosions, the Assam Cricket Association ACA has sought permission from the Indian cricket Board to postpone the four-day match to later in the season.

The development after the state-wide blasts in Assam also jeopardised chances of ace off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan turning up for Bengal in the Ranji opener. The Sri Lankan team is scheduled to leave for Zimbabwe on November 8, and the November 3-6 match would have been the only chance for Muralitharan to play for Bengal this season. Murali will have to set off for Zimbabwe on November 8.

After after the blasts rocked the entire state of Assam, the state cricket body went into an overdrive to ensure that the match stays with the ACA. The state body8217;s secretary Bikash Baruah approached the BCCI and the CAB with the proposal of deferring the November 3-6 match to some convenient period later in the season.

CAB joint-secretary Arun Mitra said that the Eden Gardens office has no issues with the ACA8217;s proposal of deferring the match. After the BCCI advised the Assam state body to seek the CAB8217;s go-ahead for the postponement, CAB assured to that the ACA officials that it had no problems.