Rs 1 lakh each for Asian champ eves146; team

8220;We are waiting for the team to now return from South Africa and after discussing it with the players, we will make these contracts final,8217;8217; BCCI treasurer N Srinivasan said. The annual contracts for cricketers for the coming year will be based on the same gradation policy as has been the case for the past few years.

However, as reported by The Indian Express on Saturday, the board has almost drafted and finalised a plan to introduce the new salary structure for cricketers in match fees and bonuses.

8220;We have come close to finalising it. The bonus will be a motivation for the players to win, which in turn will be performance-based,8217;8217; Srinivasan said.

The treasurer, along with vice-president Shashank Manohar will further look into the contracts issue and take it up with the players before it is finalised by January 2007 end.

Further, the working committee also discussed the reports received from the umpires8217; sub-committee meeting and announced a list of 17 new umpires 8 former cricketers to join the BCCI panel.

Srinivasan also announced that due to prior commitments, the board has decided not to accept the proposal to be included in the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi in 2010.

The BCCI also finalised the tour programme of the Indian team after the World Cup in 2007, when India is scheduled to tour Bangladesh and England and will later host Australia and Pakistan.

Confusion reigns in Dalmiya land

Kolkata: A faux pas, or the first honest submission from the Cricket Association of Bengal CAB? Joint-secretary Saradindu Pal, today reportedly confessed before a room full of BCCI officials that Dalmiya no longer holds the CAB president8217;s post. Following the BCCI8217;s working committee meeting at Mumbai, Board treasurer N Srinivasan told that the CAB representative had admitted that Dalmiya no longer functions as CAB president. 8220;Mr Pal has told us that the CAB respects the BCCI8217;s decision to expel Dalmiya from the Board, CAB and NCC and Dalmiya is no more the CAB president,8221; Srinivasan said.

Then, confusion reigned here, with Dalmiya himself rubbishing the claim and asserting that he is still the boss at the Eden Gardens office. 8220;At this moment, I am definitely the president of the CAB. I don8217;t know what transpired at the Board8217;s working committee meeting. The CAB joint-secretary couldn8217;t have said something like that at that meeting,8221; said Dalmiya.

He, however admitted that if ever it came to a situation that his protest against the BCCI8217;s move to expel him could harm the CAB itself, then he will 8220;step down8221; as the CAB president.