Assam Cricket Association Unveil Premier Club Championship Trophy

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) today unveiled the Assam Premier Club Championship trophy in a glittering function held in a city hotel today. Assam Minister for Tea Tribe Welfare and Employment Pallab Lochan Das attended the function as a chief guest. Several current and former cricket administrators and former cricketers were also present in this occasion.

The championship will kick off throughout the State from tomorrow. More than 5,700 cricketers from around 304 clubs will participate in the one and half-month long championship which would be held in three phases. The final phase, a 12 teams affair, will be held in Guwahati.

Addressing the gathering the secretary of the Assam Cricket Association Devajit Saikia said, “There are multiple reasons behind the introduction of this tournament. We feel this championship will help us to strengthen the reserve bench as huge number of cricketers from different parts of the state will take part in the meet. It will also help us to improve our existing infrastructure. By October we have planned to upgrade 20 grounds in different parts of the State.”

Assam Cricket Association already announced huge cash award, around Rs 92 lakh, for the tournament. The champion team will collect a purse of Rs 20 lakh while runner-up team will receive Rs 10 lakh. Each champion team in first phase along with champion and runners up team in the second phase will also receive huge cash award.

Elaborating new plans of the ACA Saikia said, “From the next year we will try our best to give all the coaches’ atleast 3-4 months time before the start of the season so that they can prepare a good team for the national level championship. We have planned to complete the appointment of all the coaches by the first part of July.”

In his brief speech Minister Pallab Lochan Das said, “Assam Government is giving priority to develop sports in the state and working on regular basis to provide all necessary supports to the different sports bodies. Assam Cricket Association has taken a good step by introducing the tournament as it would help them to create a good reserve bench. If the state cricket body wants any support Government would try to provide it.”

Among other present in the function were president of ACA Ramen Dutta, former President of ACA Gautam Roy, Former secretary of ACA Bikash Barua, former cricketers Badal Thakur, Rajesh Bora, Nasir Gul Khan.

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