World's richest cricketing body on a house hunt

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the world's richest cricketing body, has short-listed the offers received to them on inserting advertisements in newspapers for their house hunt, it is reliably learnt.

According to highly placed sources close to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), the BCCI had received about 60-odd offers from various bidders after inserting ads in newspapers for a house hunt. However, these have been short-listed to three. The offers are likely to be discussed among the office bearers during the Bangalore Test this week.

Though the MCA didn't respond to the Board's advertisement since there are certain technical difficulties in selling it out on an outright basis to the Board and permission from the government is also needed. Their earlier offer (to allot space on lease) to them is still pending.

``With so many international matches being played at the Wankhede stadium, the head-quarters has to be here only,'' opined joint honorary secretary Ratnakar Shetty. The MCA, in their earlier offer, had also promised to have a gymnasium and cricket academy facilities. They have also agreed to provide residential accommodation for the executive secretary and the honorary secretary. ``The stadium is attached with the sentiments of so many people and the Board should accept the offer of buying the premises at market rate. Instead of having the premises at an isolated place, the Board should have its premises within the city,'' remarked Shetty.

According to the BCCI's constitution, the HQ has to be in Mumbai and Board president AC Muthiah also seems to be keen on having the HQ either at the Wankhede stadium or at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne stadium. The CCI is also likely to have offered space to the BCCI. The few working committee members are also believed to have inspected the CCI and a few other sites during the Board President XI's match against South Africa last month.

The BCCI has also received a 'ready posession' offer from a builder to have the HQ near Vile Parle, the western suburb. The builder had initially made it for the State Bank of India. However, now it has been offered to BCCI. Since it is close to both airports - domestic and international - and is likely to be less affected during bandhs, a few BCCI members are keen to grab the opportunity, it is learnt.