Australian board expresses doubts over warm-up game

The Australian board has expressed its reservations over the state of the new stadium in Hyderabad, where Australia are scheduled to play their only warm-up game of the Indian tour. The local association, though, is confident of getting the stadium in top shape in a week's time.

The game is due to be played in a new stadium in Uppal, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, and a few photographs sent from India this week left the Australian officials tentative. The Australians are scheduled to play the Board President's XI in a three-day game starting on September 30.

The Age, a daily based in Melbourne, quoted a Cricket Australia spokesman as saying, "There clearly was a lot of work that still needed to be done and there's been a close monitoring process and continuing discussion.

"Our continuing concern is that it is an important match because we are coming off the back of two one-day tournaments, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is one of those iconic trophies so we need to have comfort that the venue, including the practice wickets and the wicket, are going to be appropriate for the running of a practice match."

Michael Brown, the operations manager, and Tim May, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, had made a routine pre-tour visit six weeks ago. The facilities at the new stadium were far from complete then with the outfield bereft of grass and raised concerns about whether the match would need a change of venue or not.

It is learnt that Hyderabad was originally supposed to host the tour game against South Africa, in November. The board later interchanged the tour games and Hyderabad was awarded them the game against Australia, leaving them racing against the clock.

However, Shivlal Yadav, the secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Associaion, was confident of overcoming the obstacles. He told Wisden Cricinfo that they had found a sponsor for the naming of the stadium and added, "The preperation is going on at a very brisk pace and we had a practice match today between two local teams."

Yadav also confirmed that Brown and May were due to visit the stadium on September 18 and watch a two-day practcie game. "The wicket on which they are going to play is also being prepared. We still have 14 days more, so we are confident of getting it ready."