Karnail stadium barred from hosting Ranji ties next season

Mumbai: The BCCI`s senior tournament committee on Friday recommended that Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi be barred from hosting any cricket ties in 2012-13 after adverse reports were received from match referees over pitch conditions during matches held earlier this season.

Railways Sports Promotion Board, which hosts matches at the Karnail Singh Stadium, would be asked to find an alternative venue for their home matches in the next season, the committee that met here today has recommended. However, Hyderabad Cricket Association was let off after a stern warning for the same charges after the representatives of the two erring associations were heard by the committee, said Board secretary Sanjay Jagdale in a release. "The Senior Tournament Committee discussed the adverse reports received by the Board with regard to poor pitch conditions in the Ranji Trophy. "The Committee had summoned representatives of the Hyderabad Cricket Association and the Railways Sport Promotion Board on the basis of reports submitted by match referees," Jagdale said. "After considering the reports and giving a hearing to the representatives of the concerned associations, recommendations were made that the Hyderabad CA be let off after being warned that such an incident should not be repeated, and the RSPB should not be able to host any BCCI match at the Karnail Singh Stadium, in the 2012-13 season. "However, the association can suggest alternate venues for its home games. Matches could be played at the alternate venues, subject to the BCCI`s approval," Jagdale said. Two Ranji Trophy league matches held in these two venues in the ongoing season had drawn the attention of the committee after they got adverse remarks. The matches were those played between hosts Hyderabad and Maharashtra in the Plate Division at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad in November last and the Elite Division game hosted by Railways against Saurashtra in December at the Karnail Singh Stadium. The four-day plate league game between Hyderabad and Maharashtra ended in just two days with the latter emerging victors by an innings and six runs. Hyderabad were shot out for 124 and 54 in their two innings while Maharashtra won by an innings even after notching up just 184. Maharashtra`s left-arm spinner Akshay Darekar had staggering figures of eight for 20 in the Hyderabad second innings for a 13-wicket haul in the game. The other match between hosts Railways and Saurashtra ended in three days with the visitors winning by 97 runs. Saurashtra made 175 and 152 while Railways replied with 81 and 149. Ravindra Jadeja of Saurashtra bagged 10 wickets in the game. According to sources, BCCI`s Ground and Pitches Committee Chairman Venkat Sundaram had written a letter to Jagdale complaining about the pitch prepared for the match, saying it was "deliberately left underprepared as Railways seek an outright result to bolster their chances of remaining/progressing up the league table." PTI