HASSAN: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is all set to take cricket to rural areas to spot young talent there. To achieve this, it is in the process of having its own "purpose-specific" stadiums in various parts of the State.

Disclosing this to presspersons here on Thursday, secretary of the association Brijesh Patel said it was difficult to make use of the existing stadiums in district headquarters as they were multi-utility stadiums. It was time to have stadiums with all facilities exclusively for cricket in all district headquarters, he added.

Mr. Brijesh Patel along with vice-president Jagannath and regional adviser D.B. Nagaraj visited Hassan on Thursday to get the land acquired for a cricket stadium at Sankenahalli on the outskirts of Hassan, registered.

The Hassan Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had allotted 23 acres at Krishna Nagar to the association to construct a stadium, sources in the HUDA said. Mr. Brijesh Patel said the association had constructed a pavilion for the existing stadium at Manasagangothri in Mysore at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh, and had taken 26 acres of land on lease near Navile in Shimoga.

Similarly, it had acquired 15 acres in Hubli, and a philanthropist had donated 15 acres in Raichur. While 17 acres had been acquired in Belgaum, land had been identified in Mangalore for the purpose. Efforts were on to acquire land in other district headquarters, he said.

He lauded the State Government for allotting land to the association at a concessional rate and thanked Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for withdrawing entertainment tax on sports.

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