NCA boys to meet Zimbabwe in inaugural game

The Australians, who are scheduled to visit in the middle of February next year, will play three Tests (Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta) and five One-Day Internationals at Guwahati, Delhi, Gwalior/Indore, Pune and Bangalore.

Besides, the Australians will play two three-day matches, against Ranji champions Mumbai at Mumbai and against the Board President’s XI at Kochi.

The itinerary of the two visits were passed by the BCCI working committee in Bangalore last weekend and will be ratified at the AGM in Chennai in the last week of September.

BCCI aid for Ailing players: Although a major part of the working committee meet was devoted to the drafting of the new code of conduct for players, administrators and other officials and discussion on National coach Kapil Dev’s outburst against Board officials, it is learnt that other important items related to the game were also conducted.

One of the major decisions taken was to increase the amount for old first-class cricketers suffering from terminal illness and who can not afford their own treatment due to poor financial position to a maximum of Rs three lakh.

Presently, an amount upto a maximum of Rs 50,000 is being paid to the needy cricketers from the BCCI Benevolent Fund. The Finance Committee of the Baord will prepare a format on which such applications are required to be made by cricketers for the purpose, it is learnt.

Proposed itinerary of Zimbabwe team:
Nov 5:

Arrival in India; Nov 8-10: Three-day match against National Cricket Academy at Indore; Nov 13-15: Three-day match vs Board President’s XI at Faridabad; Nov 18-22:

First Test at Delhi; Nov 25-29:

Second Test at Nagpur; Dec 2:

First One-Day International at Cuttack; Dec 5: Second One-Day International at Mohali; Dec 8: Third One-Day International at Jaipur; Dec 11: Fourth One-Day International at Ahmedabad; Dec 14: Fifth One-Day International at Chennai; Dec 15: Departure.

Proposed itinerary of Australia team:
Feb 14: Arrival in India; Feb 17-19: Three-day match vs India `A’ at Baroda; Feb 22-24: Three-day match vs Ranji champions Mumbai at CCI Mumbai; Feb 27-March 3: First Test at Mumbai; March 6-8: Three-day match vs Board President’s XI at Kochi; March 11-15: Second Test at Chennai; March 18-22: Third Test at Calcutta; March 25: First One-Day International at Guwahati; March 28: Second One-Day International at Delhi; March 31: Third One-Day International at Gwalior/ Indore; April 3: Fourth One-Day International at Pune; April 6: Fifth One-Day International at Bangalore; April 7: Departure.