Three-day ACF conclave from Tuesday

The three-day conclave of the Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF), beginning in Kolkata on Tuesday, will deliberate on various issues pertaining to the development of the game in the Asian region.

The ACF's Development, Screening and Technical Committees will meet and discuss various subjects listed in the agenda and was expected to finalise programmes to be taken up during the year.

The high-profile conclave of the ACF, which implements the programmes of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), may also discuss the organisational problems related to the forthcoming Asian Test Championship, particularly in the light of the Indian Government's reservations over granting permission to the Indian team to play in Pakistan.

The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held in Kolkata on July 31 and August 1 but was postponed to get adequate time to go through the agenda and programme documents of the International Cricket Council's Development Committee which is scheduled to meet in Amsterdam on September 10 and 11.

The ACF's Development Committee will meet on the first day to discuss the implementation of the development plans for the Asian region.

The committee, chaired by former Sri Lankan captain Duleep Mendis, comprises Mazhar Khan of the United Arab Emirates, Anil Kalavar of Singapore, J Jaykumar Shah of Nepal and T Krishnaswamy of Malaysia. ACF chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya will be a special invitee.

The screening committee will meet on August 15 to begin the process of finalising the development officers from each of the four Test playing nations in the Asian region.

The committee will go through the credentials of all the nominees before finalising the panel of development officers. The screening committee, chaired by Dalmiya, comprises Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, Zakir Syed, Duleep Mendis and Ashraf-ul-Haq.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated four former Test players for the post of development officers. National selectors Ashok Malhotra and Madanlal, and former Test players Roger Binny and WV Raman are the four BCCI nominees.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka had also sent their nominations for the post of Development Officers.

While Pakistan has sent a list comprising former skippers Mushtaq Mohammed and Zaheer Abbas and medium pacer Iqbal Sikander, Sri Lanka had recommended former Test cricketers Roy Dias, Rumesh Ratnayake and Brendon Kuruppu.

The technical committee will meet on August 16 to discuss the technical aspects of the programmes. The committee comprises Sunil Gavaskar (India), Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan), Asantha De Mel (Sri Lanka) and Gazi Ashraf Hossain (Bangladesh).

BCCI secretary JY Lele has also been invited to discuss certain matters regarding the Asian Test Championship.