Karnataka board polls set for keen contest

Elections to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), due on September 8, could see changes at the top with Vijay Mallya, the Bangalore-based industrialist, offering his support to a campaign against the ruling faction. The campaign, headed by Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, seeks to remove the bloc led by Brijesh Patel.

Mallya, whose businesses include Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries, takes the first step towards his direct involvement with cricket by being made president of the Select Cricket Club, of which AV Jayaprakash, the former international umpire, is secretary. Mallya has used his financial clout in other sports, including horse racing and football.

At the moment it is unclear if Mallya can hold office but, should he wish to make an entry into cricket, his home state of Karnataka - and the Select club - would be an obvious starting ground.

Mallya's declaration of support for Wadiyar has been welcomed by former cricketers Erapalli Prasanna and Syed Kirmani, who have been pushing for a change of guard saying the present administration lacked transparency. Wadiyar, in a statement where he also referred to having received Mallya's backing, promised to better the administration of the association in all aspects and spoke about delinking team selection from private cricket academies or coaching camps.

Patel, KSCA secretary and a former Indian Test batsman, has been part of the board's ruling bloc for nine years. He refused to comment on Mallya's stand.