Women's team begins second camp despite inconvenience

The Women's Cricket Association of India earlier announced a list of 35 probables to take part in the CricInfo Women's World Cup to be held in New Zealand in November. This preliminary squad was announced in Chennai at the end of the CricInfo Rani Jhansi Trophy which was won by a talented Air India side. Since then, there have been two additions to the squad, one of them being the return of India skipper Chanderakanta Aheer from England.

The preparation of the Indian women's team began in earnest with the first training camp that focussed on fitness. The second preparatory camp got under way yesterday at the DAV Senior Secondary School.

One of the coaches present at the camp, RP Singh, said on Thursday morning that the probables had to wait for nearly two hours after arriving before accommodation was arranged. On reaching Chandigarh, the group was informed that they would be housed in the Sector 42 sports complex instead of the Sector 7 complex as was earlier arranged.

Speaking to CricInfo's Chandigarh correspondent, the campers disclosed that the condition of the rooms in the sector 7 Sports Complex fell short of their expectations. They said that the wooden beds provided were broken, and that there were many leaks in the ceiling, which caused water to drip on them. They were also inconvenienced by the fact that they had to share the rooms with various sports equipment like hurdles used in athletics. All this at a time when the men's team will be put up in a five star hotel in less than a week's time when they begin their preparatory camp in Chennai.

It was proposed that the second coaching camp be held at either Chennai or Hyderabad. In the last minute however this was vetoed and the camp is now under way in Chandigarh. The camp will go on till September 22, after which the probables will move to Delhi to play a few practice matches.