Board146;s U-turn on foreign players in domestic circuit

Confirming the reports published in this paper on Friday, which quoted MCA president Ajay Shirke as saying that 8216;8216;the association is toying with the idea of inviting foreign cricketers,8217;8217; Shah said: 8216;8216;We want to generate interest among masses in Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy matches. We want that more and more people go to watch these matches.

8216;8216;Today most associations have money and they can afford to bring in players from other countries. We want to bring in foreign players to play some of these Ranji and Duleep matches.8217;8217;

Shirke, who said about such an idea being conceived in the MCA, now adds: 8216;8216;Things did not materialise last year 2005 because the players who the MCA had in mind had prior committments. Otherwise, we would have tried and brought at least one to play a few matches.8217;8217;

Now, with the advent of coloured clothing and Kookaburra white balls in domestic circuit, where matches can be played day and night, 8216;8216;it is time that we start looking at newer avenues to make the domestic circuit more interesting. More people will watch matches at stadiums and Ranji Trophy will have more viewers on the television,8217;8217; Shah said.