Vengy stumped on ground rules

When Dilip Vengsarkar, former captain and the man behind the academy was reached, he denied he ever rented out the pitch to anybody for money. ‘‘We do not give the pitch to outsiders,’’ Dilip Vengsarkar had said on June 12.

And yet, there is evidence that the pitch, on the Oval, one of the city’s prime maidans, has been let out. According to a receipt with The Indian Express, the pitch was engaged by Piem Hotels Ltd (President Hotel of Cuffe Parade, now Taj President) for a match on January 30, 1999. The payment was made as a donation to the Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation and a receipt — signed by Vengsarkar himself — was issued.

A covering letter, on the Foundation’s letterhead, accompanies the receipt.

The letter, also signed by Vengsarkar, is dated Januray 7, 1999, and addressed to Vinay S Namjoshi, company secretary of Piem Hotels. It reads: ‘‘This is with reference to your letter dated 5th December, 1998. We have received your cheque in favour of Dilip Vengsarkar Foundation for Rs 7,000 drawn on Bank of Baroda, bearing no. 009754 dated 4th Dec, ’98 towards ground rent for ELF Vengsarkar Cricket Academy. We are enclosing an authorised receipt for the same and thereby confirm the booking of the ground for the match to be played on 30th of January, 1999.’’

The match was played between British H C and Hotel President, as revealed from a voucher of the hotel.

This time, Vengsarkar refused to go on record though he first said he did not recall any Hotel President match.

Namjoshi is no longer with Piem Hotels and others in the company said they did not know about the 1999 records. Though the owner of the Oval land happens to be the state government, and lease rents from various clubs and colleges who use the pitches are collected by the state’s sports ministry, pitches on the Oval are being rented out by one Ramdas Gawde. Gawde, who charges Rs 1,200 per pitch for a weekday and Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200 for the weekend, is neither employed by the state nor any club.

Elf pays Rs 3,000 as lease rent to the government per year. Other clubs and colleges, which had signed lease agreements on old rents, pay Rs 300 per annum, according to N U Shrote, deputy director, sports.

When Vengsarker was asked if he could check the Foundation’s records, he refused to go on record. ‘‘I do not want to be quoted in The Indian Express at all. Why is the paper going after such a trivial matter?’’

N U Shrote: Deputy dir, Sports, GOM

June 14: ‘‘Renting out Oval’s pitches is illegal. Get me proof.’’

June 17, after being told about the receipt issued by Elf: ‘‘No outsiders can use the pitch unless they are playing against the boys of the academy. If there is evidence of the academy having rented out the pitch, it will be investigated.’’