Assam Cricket Association To Introduce Club Level Competition

Assam Cricket Academy to be revived

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: With an aim to revive cricket in Assam the newly constituted committee of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has decided to launch a new club level cricket competition in the State. The revival plans also included revamp of the Assam Cricket Academy.

The officials of the ACA today revealed a series of plans and programmes during the first official interaction with the media. As per the plans the new competition-Assam Premier Club League-will be held from the third week of February in three phases which will carry huge prize money. On the other hand the cricket Academy, which will work round the clock during day-time, will also start functioning from February 10.

Addressing a media gathering the secretary of the ACA Devajit Saikia said, “If we want to improve our performance in the national level we should prepare good team and it would be possible only when we have strong reserve bench. Keeping it in mind we have decided to introduce a new cricket competition in club level. We feel, it is the only way to involve more and more players in the game as Inter District Cricket championships, which are the part of annual calendar of ACA, give opportunities to very limited cricketers of the State.”

Disclosing the format of the new competition Saikia said, “We have six zones. In the first phase each affiliated districts will organize the first phase, which will be limited overs, in their own places. We will provide Rs two lakh to each unit to organize the competition and champion team in each district will receive another Rs one lakh as cash award. The second phase will be zonal round where champion team of each district will take part. Winners and Runners up in each zonal round will collect cash award of Rs 2 lakh and 1.5 lakh respectively. The final phase of the championship will be held in Guwahati where 12 teams (winners and runners up of each zone) will participate. The overall champion will be richer by Rs 20 lakh and the second best team will collect a purse of Rs 10 lakh.”

Commenting on the revival of Cricket Academy Saikia said, “We feel the activities of the academy should go throughout the day but unfortunately it is not happening now. So recently we have dissolved the academy. The ACA will appoint new coach and supporting staffs for the academy very shortly and it will start functioning from February 10.”

He also added: ACA will send the proposal officially to the government with request to bring back cricket at the Nehru stadium. We are expecting green signal and if we receive it ACA will take the initiative to construct pitches there.

Meanwhile ACA has invited 40 probables for the forthcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Cricket tournament and 28 probables for U-23 One day tournament. Both the camps will begin from February 1.

The seceretary also confirmed that the new body will strictly maintain proper money transparency in every department specially between ACA and travel agencies. The body removed the very recent travel agency which has been associated with ACA for not maintaining proper norms.

The media briefing was also attended by the joint secretary Kamakhya Saikia and treasurer Tridib Konwar.

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