Indian news round-up

The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a net profit of 37.99 crore during the financial year 2000-2001.

This despite the cancellation of tournaments in Sharjah and Toronto and the heavy investments made to get the services of Geoff Marsh and John Wright. Marsh was reportedly paid Rs 25 lakh for the three brief visits he made to India during the period.

The Press Trust of India which carries the report says that the huge profits were courtesy sale of television rights, team sponsorship deals and also "professional marketing of the home series against Australia and Zimbabwe". Strangely, despite the "professional marketing", the Zimbabwean tour yielded more revenue (Rs 6.1 crore) than the Australian tour (Rs 3.77 crore).

The BCCI's income also tripled in the period from Rs 30.23 in the last financial year to Rs 91 crore this year. The balance sheet as on March 31, 2001 shows total assets of Rs 201.84 crore as against Rs 144.92 crore last year.

The major expenses include the allocation of Rs 6 crore for infrastructure development and Rs 1.92 crore to set up the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

Meanwhile, Rs 2.06 crore was spent on coaching camps of which Rs 83 lakh went to the foreign coach (name not mentioned) and Rs 29 lakh to the physio.

Ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble was given Rs 6,23,182 for treatment of his shoulder injury while former wicket-keeper Saba Karim received Rs 1,69,261 for his eye operation, PTI added.

The BCCI feels that it has saved Indian cricket from being dragged into the mire of match-fixing.

"Far from descending into a slough of despair, the game has emerged stronger from the crisis brought about by match-fixing and related malpractices. The alacrity with which the board acted during the year may have helped save a crumbling image. It took great moral strength to condemn our very own," says the BCCI's annual report prepared by secretary Jaywant Lele and joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai.

"But all of us know that welfare of the game and the preservation of its fair name is greater than individuals. Suffice it to say, cricket in India is on a good wicket now," says the report which will be tabled during the 72nd Annual General Body Meeting in Chennai on September 29.

"To say the game is back on the rails after going through a very severe crisis of confidence would be most appropriate. Justice is truth in action, is a homily no one will disagree with. Yet it is a secure future that we look to as we leave the great scandal behind.

"That will be a future free of the kind of disruptive influence that bookmakers brought to bear on the game as they toyed with the integrity of some of the players of the game.

"The board had to take several difficult decisions during the year. The hardest of all had to do with those of our players who may have at some time or the other compromised the integrity of the game."

"The board hopes that by virtue of the decisions of the disciplinary committee and the punishment it meted out to some players, all cricketers will have received a stern warning of what fate awaits them if they indulge in influencing the course of matches for a consideration. As Mark Twain said `truth is the most valuable thing we have'."

All this eloquence is followed by a a few words on current BCCI president AC Muthiah, who is seeking a third term in office. "While he faced challenges in his first year that were not quite cricket, in his second year, Muthiah had to take firm action and tough decisions to save the fair name of the game, when cricket was gripped by an unprecedented crisis."

The duo then point out the achievements of the BCCI - "the appointment of national and international consultants, the placing of orders for video aided analysis for the national team, the setting up of regional and national cricket academies to give thrust to Indian cricket on par with international standards, were the success stories, besides many other matters like eradicating the overage problems of cricketers in age group tournaments, improvement of pitches and strict financial governance."

Did you say the BCCI can't make the right pitch?