ECB officials inspect facilities at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens ahead of Test series

Kolkata: England Cricket Board (ECB) officials visited Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Wednesday to assess facilities and security arrangements ahead of the England cricket team`s upcoming tour to India.

The England- India Test series begins in November and will be followed by one day internationals in January 2013. ECB officials said they were impressed with the arrangements made for players and spectators at the stadium. The director for operations of the ECB, John Carr, said cricket connoissers and fans were looking forward to England playing a Test match with India at the Eden Gardens after nearly two decades. “Yes, we played an ODI and T20 international last year. So, are familiar with the venue and further inspection has taken place. So, the facilities here are all very satisfactory, and, I think, its fair to say, we had a good experience here in terms of the arrangements of the games last year. So, I think, everything is in place,” said Carr. Carr said that pre-tour visits are a duty and added that he and his team were pleased to see a match being played in Kolkata. “When we do overseas tours we conduct pre tour visit, visiting all the venues where matches are to be played and we are obviously very pleased that the test match is being scheduled for Kolkata,” said Carr. The England cricket team led by captain Alastair Cook would play four Tests and five one-day internationals during their winter tour of India. ANI