Indian news round-up

The former International Criciket Council (ICC) president and the Chairman of the Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF), Jagmohan Dalmiya said on Saturday that the formation of the ACF need not to be taken as the first step towards Asia breaking away from the ICC.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper in Calcutta, Dalmiya said ``Suggestions to that effect are wholly out of place. The ACF and indeed, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) itself will supplement and complement the ICC's activities.''

Dalmiya said ``Of course it's a fact that Asia, as a region, wasn't getting its due from the ICC's development fund. Now, however, Asia will get 50 per cent of profits from the biennial mini World Cups. In actual terms, that could translate to around ten times the current ICC pay-out, to the region, of £300, 000. To an extent, then, things are being rectified. In any case, as I've said, we're going to work with the ICC.''

The secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Shivlal Yadav on Sunday announced that the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup cricket tournament will commence in Hyderabad from September 2.

Speaking to an Indian news agency in Hyderabad, Yadav said that the 2000-2001 edition of the tournament would feature 16 teams including the defending champions MRF, Chemplast, India Cements, Karnataka State Cricket Association, ONGC, Kerala, and two other local teams.

Yadav said that the winners would receive a prize of one lakh and the runners up will receive Rs 50,000. He said that the final of the 13- day tournament will be played at the Lal Bahadur Stadium and would be a day-and night affair.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has prepared a blueprint for the renovation of the Ferozeshah Kotla ground and would soon submit it to the various governmental agencies for clearance to carry out the proposal.

Speaking to a news agency in New Delhi, former Indian opening batsman and vice president of the DDCA, Chetan Chauhan said ``We will submit the proposal to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi before the end of the month and construction should start within two months after getting the green signal from various government agencies. We are hopeful of getting a speedy clearance.'' Clearances for the project will be required from the Urban Development Ministry, the Delhi Urban Arts Commission and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Chauhan said that two-tier stands would be built all around the stadium to double the present capacity of 29,000. The project will be divided into three phases and could take up to two years to complete. The DDCA is planning to generate finances through sponsorship, a grant from the BCCI and its own money. ``We can raise the sponsorship amount by selling corporate boxes.'' Chauhan said.

Former Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani on Sunday rued the fact that cricket today has become too commercial and that the players are looking at short-cuts to achieve success in their careers.

Speaking at a function organised in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of the Pooja all-India cricket tournament in Kochi, Kirmani said ``In our days, we played for the love of the game and never looked at any other aspect. Now with so much money involved, the approach and attitude have changed.''

Kirmani said ``When we played, the grooming was different. It took time for us to go from one level to a higher level. The same grooming is not there. Now, with just one performance, players are in the team. Nobody wants to work hard, nobody wants to be a Prasanna, a Vishy or a Chandra. They all want short cuts. Unless you groom a person over a period of time, you cannot produce quality.''