NCA chief to meet English experts

A team of BCCI experts, led by National Cricket Academy chairman TC Mathew, is set to meet their England counterparts next week to discuss the details of a tie-up between the NCA and the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough, England. The move is a major step in BCCI's decision to revamp the NCA.

"We will start with meeting the ECB officials and then will also plan meetings with Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa for an exchange programme between them and the NCA," Mathew told ESPNcricinfo. "We would like to start exchange programmes with regard to infrastructure, experts and faculties."

Mathew is likely to be accompanied to England by NCA director Brijesh Patel, MV Sridhar, the BCCI general manager - operations, and Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI general manager - game development.

Besides making use of the qualified experts at the NCA, the BCCI also hopes to acquire help from the other three boards, which have made more advances in inculcating methodical approach towards development of players and the game, by revising the coaching curriculum of NCA courses.

"It has been decided to revise syllabus for Level B and C, so we will seek inputs from the other boards in order to accommodate the latest coaching techniques," Mathew said.

The NCA Board has also decided to reaccredit all the Level B and C coaches who passed exams before 2010. All such coaches will have to reappear for the courses to get updated, if they have to retain their coaching license.

Mathew hoped that the decision to replace the existing three specialist academies with six zonal coaching academies will be implemented before the start of the coming domestic season. "It would be great if we can start functioning the five zonal and a north-east academy before the season starts. We are on track to get them going in time," he said.

Meanwhile, the NCA Board has recommended to the technical committee to switch the CK Nayudu Trophy from Under-25 to Under-23. On the recommendation of Anil Kumble's technical committee, the BCCI decided to change the age limit for the tournament from under-22 to under-25. However, during the last two years it has been observed that the talented junior cricketers don't get a look in to their respective under-25 teams. So it has been suggested to reduce the age limit by two years. It will be up to Kumble's technical committee to decide on the issue when it meets during off-season.