India: Udhampur gets its games back (16 October 1998)

16 October 1998

India: Udhampur gets its games back

By Gulu Ezekiel

Political pressure is thought to be behind the decision of the BCCI to shift all the Jammu and Kashmir Ranji Trophy North Zone zone league matches back to the strife-torn town of Udhampur.

It may be recalled that these games were originally slated for Udhampur. But the board stepped in to take them away from Udhampur because of the poltical turmoil in the troubled region.

That decision aparently irked Jammu and Kashmir chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah. He felt the decision to shift the matches would send the wrong signals as the government was taking all steps to bring the situation in the valley back to normal.

The back and forth situation began when the J&K association slotted all four of its North Zone league matches for Udhampur. Later, an official stated that a coule of games would be held in Srinagar as "the situation was returning to normalcy."

Last month the BCCI stepped in by way of a circular to all associations in the zone stating that J-K's matches would be held in Jammu only. But in a volte face, soon after the AGM at Calcutta, the board send another circular informing that "no matches will be held in the state."

The associations were advised to hold the matches in their own states. However, the high-level political intervention has forced the board's hand and the matches will now once again be staged at Udhampur, as originally planned.

Source :: CricInfo365