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Updated on: 14 April,2025 08:14 AM IST  |  Mumbai
Jagdish Achrekar
Even conducting other age-group tournaments when the Giles and Harris Shield matches are played, is unwise. If MCA is serious about grassroots cricket, they will have to rectify this as soon as possible
Jagdish Achrekar
To say the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) Annual General Meeting on April 15 is important for city-bred international cricketers is as obvious as saying that they have been practitioners of India’s most popular sport.
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International cricketers have recently started enjoying the right to vote in state association elections, thanks to the Lodha reforms which moved and shook Indian cricket administration a few years ago.
At last Tuesday’s Special General Meeting (SGM) which I attended, there was some discussion over whether players should be part of the voting. One would reckon that even this coming up for discussion is blasphemy. And indeed, it was sad to see a player in the gathering not utter a word in protest. Sidelining great cricketers who have given their sweat and blood will definitely not please Mumbai cricket lovers. By the way, will the AGM witness discussions on local tournaments or will silence prevail?
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With the quality of tournaments surging downward, it is high time to think about changing the pattern of the Kanga League.
The prestigious tournament which began way back in 1948, is basically a monsoon tournament that now starts on the second Sunday of August. Lower division matches are played until mid-November, taking away the wet conditions factor of the tournament. The MCA’s decision to send senior boys to play in the Karnataka State Cricket Association and Buchi Babu tournaments as well as age-group boys’ tours to prepare for the national tournaments, has added to the worries of upper division clubs wanting to field their full teams throughout the Kanga League.
Even conducting other age-group tournaments when the Giles and Harris Shield matches are played, is unwise. If MCA is serious about grassroots cricket, they will have to rectify this as soon as possible.
With many new tournaments added to the already busy schedule of local cricket and shortage of pitches, it is high time that someone may request the chair to advise the current Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) to take up this issue seriously and draw up the full year’s schedule that will not overburden the pitches and add to their deterioration.
The suggestion to only appoint selectors who have played for Mumbai was well-received by the chair. This will not only bring about a sense of belonging, but also provide former cricketers a source of income.
However, another suggestion—to request the SC to direct the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to inspect the association’s books of accounts instead of appointing a CAG representative to the Apex Council, pushed the members present on the dais into an indecisive zone.
The main agenda of this week’s AGM is the passing of accounts, and MCA members are never in favour of stalling that. Therefore, the evening of April 15, may turn out to be a congenial get-together that concludes with a sumptuous dinner.
Jagdish Achrekar was Treasurer of the MCA before the last elections in 2002
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper
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