Sporting tracks for Tests 8212; Srikkanth

FEBRUARY 16: Neutral and sporting wickets will be provided both at Mumbai and Bangalore for the Test matches between India and South Afric...

FEBRUARY 16: Neutral and sporting wickets will be provided both at Mumbai and Bangalore for the Test matches between India and South Africa.

Declaring this at a press conference after the meeting of the Pitches and Grounds Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI here on Wednesday, former Indian captain and chairman of the Pitches Committee, Krish Srikkanth said, 8220;throughout the world, the home team prepares the pitch to their advantage. Our strength is spin and the committee has decided to provide the home team a sporting wicket.8221;

Explaining on sporting wickets, Srikkanth said 8220;the wickets will not be bad 8212; not a shooter or an unevenly bouncy tracks.8221;

He said the committee was only recommendatory in nature and hoped that the respective associations of the board would follow the schedule of preparing the wickets as suggested by both Kasturirangan South and Dhiraj Parsana West.

According to Srikkanth, the Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar has also asked for a sporting track.

The meeting, convened by Sharad Diwadkar, executive secretary of the board, was attended by Kasturirangan South, Dhiraj Parsana West, Surinder khanna North, Vinod Mathur Central and Gopal Bose East.

The meeting which deliberated for over 100 minutes also resolved to recommend to the Board on straightaway going in for bouncy and green top wickets for the remaining Super League matches of the ongoing Ranji Trophy Championship.

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Stating that countries like Australia, England South Africa always prepare wickets to suit their players, Srikkanth said 8220;two pitches each in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Calcutta will be relaid after April 15, when the season ends.8221;

On the National Academy coming up in Bangalore, Diwadkar said, 8220;we are on schedule to start the academy in May and the board would take a decision on the proposals submitted by both Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar.

He said he had discussions with past cricketers and umpires in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai as advised by the board president, AC Muthiah, on changes to be formulated in domestic cricket to follow suit with Australia and South Africa besides other countries.

WEBSITE: Srikkanth is relaunching on the internet a website which will primarily be an entertainment-oriented cricket site.

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The website 8212; kris8211;srikkath.com 8212; was first launched during last year8217;s World Cup to cover the matches live on the internet with expert comments from the dashing former opening batsman and skipper.

The website would feature among other things, news pertaining to cricket and other games, cricket thrillers and statistics, and interviews with famous sportspersons, a release from Kris Srikkanth Sports and Entertainment said.