Indian women to get full financial support

In what is a major fillip to women's cricket, the Indian board has decided to provide full financial support for their upcoming tour of England.

"As per ICC's directions, we had earlier decided to merge women's cricket administration with ours," N Srinivasan, the treasurer of the Indian board, said after the board's working committee meeting held in New Delhi. That merger is on, and in the meantime we have decided to provide complete support to the women's team's tour of England."

The Women's Cricket Association of India also received a major boost with its secretary Subhangi Kulkarni being appointed cricket coordinator of the Asian Cricket Council. The women's team is to play two Tests and five one-dayers besides a Twenty20 game on their visit to England from August 5 to September 1. They were also scheduled to play two limited-overs games against Ireland before the series against England.

Among other decisions, the board members decided to increase the subsidy to state associations to Rs 25 crore (US$ 5.4million approx) considering the infrastructure development that needed to be made in view of the 2011 World Cup. The agreement with Investors in Cricket (IIC) to run a reality show 'Cricket Star' was approved, as also the finance committee's decision to withhold the subsidy to Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the CAB President, had failed to reply to a show cause notice for alleged misappropriation of 1996 World Cup funds, and the same was referred to the Disciplinary Committee (DC). "It is up to the board president [Sharad Pawar]," Srinivasan said, when asked about the time limit set for the DC to act on Dalmiya. The pension scheme was extended to those who have played 25 to 49 first-class matches, who will receive Rs. 10,000 monthly (US$ 216 approx).