The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : KCA’s ambitious project

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KCA’s ambitious project

MALAPPURAM: The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has chalked out an ambitious project involving an expenditure of Rs. 100 crore for the promotion of cricket in the State. Half of the funds (Rs. 50 crore) for the project will be given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said T.C. Mathew, KCA secretary, here on Saturday.

Mathew said that the KCA had drawn up a plan to identify and nurture talented youngsters in the State. The game will be promoted at the school and college levels as part of this move. The KCA will be involved in fielding a strong State team in the national school competition and also encourage inter-collegiate tournaments.

The KCA has got ready a cricket ground at Thekkinkode near Perinthalmanna as part of its Rs. 100 crore project. Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar, will inaugurate the ground on Monday. BCCI vice-president, Rajiv Shukla, will be the chief guest on the occasion.

Sprinkler system

The ground, occupying 7.33 acres hired by the KCA on lease for 50 years, has five pitches. It is the first cricket ground in the State to have a sprinkler system, said Mathew.

Shukla will lay the foundation stone for a pavilion at the new ground on Monday to mark the second phase of the KCA project.

Mathew said work on the additional facilities at the Thalassery ground would be completed by May 30. He added that 8.30 acres were acquired at Sulthan Batheri for a cricket ground.

Mathew said Mahatma Gandhi University had agreed to give eight acres of land at Athirumpuzha for a ground as part of the university’s silver jubilee celebrations.

He said the KCA would set up offices in all district headquarters, and appoint one coach in all the districts. The KCA will also facilitate a six-week training programme for 15 cricketers in Brisbane. The training will begin on June 1. The KCA will spend around Rs. two lakh for all the players.

A meeting of curators will soon be held at Thalassery to discuss ways to prepare better pitches, Mathew said.

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