SC allows time to GCA officials to reply in ticket scam case

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed a week's time to Dayanand Narvekar and Vinod Phadke, president and secretary of the Goa Cricket Association, to reply to a petition filed by the State challenging the anticipatory bail granted to them by the Bombay High Court in the ticket scam.

A Bench comprising Justice DP Mohapatra and Justice SV Patil, while allowing time to Narvekar and Phadke, gave liberty to the State Government to move the vacation Bench for hearing of the case. Both Narvekar and Phadke were refused anticipatory bail by a Goa Sessions Court which they had moved immediately after the police began its probe into the allegation of sale of fake tickets for the India-Australia one-day international match at Margao on April 6.

The Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court had granted anticipatory bail to both but had asked them to surrender their mobile phones and passports to the police and not to leave Goa without the prior permission of the State Deputy Inspector General of Police. The Supreme Court on May 3 had issued notices to Narvekar and Phadke on a petition filed by the State Government seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to them.

Inter-Academy tournament on the anvil

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to organise an inter-academy cricket tournament in August this year, according to former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Central Zone Academy at Kanpur on Thursday, Dungarpur who is also chairman of the National Cricket Academy, said that following the tournament, a match would be played between the National Cricket Academy and a combined team of zonal academies. According to him, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar had suggested that the tournament should be named after a coach who had also represented India in Test matches. "We have accepted his suggestion and find that Col Hemu Adhikari as the fittest person to deserve this honour. Therefore the inter-zonal tournament would be played for the Col Hemu Adhikari Trophy."

Dungarpur also praised the chief coach at the Central Zone academy Kailash Gattani who assured the gathering that his trainees would not let them down. "The organisers have provided all the facilities and now the trainees have to make the best use of them," Gattani said.

Bournvita Cricket Academy win Under-14 tournament

The Bournvita Cricket Academy, Kolkata run by former Indian Test opener Arun Lal defeated Vikaspuri School, Delhi in the final by three wickets to emerge champions of the Randhir Verma Memorial Invitational (U-14 years) cricket tournament at the Keenen Stadium in Jamshedpur on Friday.

Electing to bat, the Vikaspuri team made 124 for eight in their 30 overs, thanks to an 49-run opening partnership between Tarun Kumar (51, 4x4) and Somik Chatterjee (23, 2x4). For BCA, P Das and Sujoy Das claimed two wickets each.

Chasing a modest target of 125 runs, BCA were home by three wickets and an over to spare. BCA lost early wickets. But a quickfire 39 (4x4, 1x6) by P Das helped his side come close to the total before he fell short of the crease going for a quick run. S Das (20 not out) and Kirti Sarkar (18 not out) then saw their side through. While Somik Chatterjee bagged two wickets for 22 runs, Kishen, Hitesh Tyagi and Mayank Tehlan claimed a wicket each for the Vikaspuri team.

Shiv Sundar Das felicitated

India's opening batsman Shiv Sundar Das was felicitated by a leading hotel group for his performances in Test cricket at a function held in Bhubaneshwar on Friday.

Das was presented with a cheque of Rs. One lakh by the hotel at the gathering which was attended by top executives of all the four hotels. General manager of the group, Souvagya Mohapatra said that the chain would organise such functions every year to felicitate budding sportspersons of Orissa in a bid to promote sport in the state. The cricketer was accompanied by his parents Uttam Das and Kanchanbala Das and coach Kishore Mania at the function. Das left from here on Saturday for Chennai to join the conditioningcamp of 26 probables in Bangalore, beginning on Sunday, aheadof India's tour of Zimbabwe.