North East News Agency

The England series in now long over. Even the current series (debated as being too long) has ended with two matches Indo-Pak gala in Abu Dhabi. But sparks continue to fly over the abandoned one day tie at Guwahati on April 9 and the controversy surrounding it simply refuse to die down.

Firstly, fears have been raised that Guwahati be blacklisted by the ICC after going in to report by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama and observer Piyad Giri on the crowd violence witnessed after the abandonment of the tie. Assam Cricket Association may also run in to trouble for directly blaming the umpires and also putting blame on the English team for the match not taking place.

But ACA has allyed the fears. ACA secretary Bikash Barua has said that BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah has himself assured ACA    that there was nothing to worry.   Mr. Barua said: “I am sure ICC too will understand our problem. This is not the first time that that the match was abandoned due to rain and crowd violence has taken place. Have all such venues been blacklisted? Blacklisting involves a lot of formalities. We have also enough clout in BCCI. Our lobby is very strong.”

More fuel was added to the fire when former ICC umpire from Guwahati S. R. Phukan endorsed ACA’s observation that a match, particularly a curtailed one could have easily taken place. He has heaped all the blame on Rudi Kertzen for acting arbitrarily and for imposing his view on fellow umpire A. V. Jaiprakash and even Match Referee Mahanama. “Had the ground been so unplayable, the helicopter could not have landed. Its load would have left marks on the ground. But it didn’t happen even though the chopper landed twics,” observed Mr. Phukan.

The conduct of the English team has also been subjected to heavy criticism. The rule book says that playing teams should report at the venue at least 45 minutes before a match scheduled to start. The England team reported at the stadium after 11.30 PM. “So was it pre planned that the match won’t be played? “Aparently, it was umpires’ patronage that the English could have behaved like this,” retorted Mr. Phukan. He also lambasted the ACA for not making arrangement of adequate public address system.

Assam | North East Enquirer (Headlines) | Nena Home Page |