Madras HC pulls up BCCI & TNCA

‘‘Why can’t you refund the money,’’ the Chief Justice asked the TNCA, represented by its advocate. The First Bench wondered when there was a forecast for cyclonic rains at least three days before the event, ‘‘was it a wise decision to go ahead with the match.’’

According to C. Kanagaraj, Muthuramalingam, an advocate and a cricket fan, prayed for refund of the ticket money pleaded in his petition: ‘‘The organisers knew that the weather conditions were not good. There were incessant rains on November 20, 21 and 22. They should have known better than to schedule the match for November 22.’’

The argument also formed the gist of Muthuramalaingam’s petition. On its part, the TNCA pointed out that the match tickets had been sold out a week before the match. Moreover, with 21 ODI venues in the country, Chennai would have had to wait for 21 ODIs for its turn, if it had turned down the chance to hold a match.

When the advocates representing the petitioners informed the court that in the past, a cricket match organised by the Leeds Club in London was abandoned after 10 overs due to rains with full refund, the CJ directed them to cite such instances.