CAB to issue ID's to registered players

The Cricket Association of Bengal will from next season issue Identification Cards to its registered players. This decision has been taken as there have been increasing complaints of unregistered players participating in the Association run tournaments. Along with the cards, the players will also have a code number. This will be done so that cricketers with similar names can be identified easily. The cards will have a picture of the cricketer along with other information like his residential address, club name and blood group.

Under the present rule book implemented by the CAB, a club can only participate in the league and other tournaments with players registered with the Association. However, last season there was a match when a particular club fielded as many as eight unregistered players. "The problem is that we could identify the culprits simply because there was no identity card," said a senior official of the Association. "We have constituted a new rule that will enable us to take strong action against clubs who are responsible for this. But because there is no proper method of identification, clubs benefit.''

CAB joint secretary Debdas Bannerjee has made it clear that something needs to be done to check this malady. "We would have brought the Identity Card into use from this season. However, we cannot do so now because the transfers have started. So we will implement it from next season onwards."