Steps in the right direction

The BCCI has already disbursed Rs. 4 crore to each of the 25 State units as advance against TV subsidy

The BCCI increased the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy winner’s prize from Rs. 60 lakh to Rs. 2 crore

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Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India at the working committee meeting here on Thursday said that its 25 State units would receive around Rs. 20 crore each for fiscal year 2008-09 as their share from the annual television subsidy and money earmarked from the IPL-II held in South Africa.

They were also informed that should all the international engagements be held in the 2009-10 fiscal year, the associations were likely to receive between Rs. 24 and Rs. 28 crore.

The BCCI has already disbursed Rs. 100 crore (Rs. 4 crore to each of the 25 State units) as advance against TV subsidy. In the coming months and after its 80th AGM there in the last week of September, the BCCI will remit the balance amount of around Rs. 500 crore.

“The sum would have been much more, but there was a revenue shortfall of Rs.59 crore because of the cancellation of the Pakistan tour and the curtailment of the England tour,” said Rajiv Shukla, Chairman of the Finance Committee, BCCI. The Champions League T20 was also cancelled after the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

Last year the 25-member units received a sum between Rs. 14 and 18 crore from the TV subsidy alone, with Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) receiving a maximum of Rs. 18.60 crore. In addition they received around. Rs.8 crore each from the IPL-I revenue.

First class players

The BCCI did not disappoint the first class players in the country. At its Working Committee meeting the BCCI increased the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy winner’s prize from Rs. 60 lakh to Rs. 2 crore.

It also earmarked Rs. 1 crore for the runner-up and Rs. 50 lakh each for the losing semifinalists.

With the increase in prize money for the national championship winner, an Elite Group cricketer who would play 11 or 10 matches league and knock out matches and goes on to be part of the Ranji Trophy winning team would take home around Rs. 19 lakh or Rs. 18 lakh.

And a Plate League cricketer who would play a maximum of eight league and knock out matches would take home around Rs. 13 lakh. In addition a cricketer who plays an additional 25 days of senior tournaments in the Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup and the inter-State one-day tournaments will take another Rs. 10 lakh, even should the BCCI maintain Rs. 40,000 match fee per day.

There was good news for women cricketers too, but they may be somewhat disappointed with the Rs. one lakh fee per player for each tour the national team undertakes. But they receive the same daily allowance of around $70, which is what the men receive.

The BCCI also announced a bonus of Rs. one lakh to each player and support staff of the Emerging Players’ team that won a limited overs tournament in Brisbane recently.

The BCCI also revised the domestic match-fee (IPL not included) of the umpires from the 2009-10 season. An umpire will receive Rs. 7,500 per match day out of which Rs. 3,750 per match-day will go towards the Benevolent Fund. The umpires and Match Referees (IPL excepted) will receive Rs. 10,000 per match-day.

Other decisions taken at the Working Committee were (1) to make the former ICL players eligible for the IPL-III with a franchise asked pay a minimum fee of Rs. 8 lakh and a maximum of Rs. 20 lakh (2) to retain Amish Saheba and nominate Shavir Tarapore in the ICC International Panel and Sanjay Hazare as the ICC International TV panel (3) to establish specialised coaching centres at Mumbai (batting), Mohali (bowling) and Chennai (spinners and wicketkeepers), (4) to appoint specialist coaches on an annual retainership (5) to establish an Umpire’s Academy (6) reject KSCA’s request to hire outstation players in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL).

The BCCI President Shashank Manohar released the NCA coaching manual at the meeting. Present at the release function was Dav Whatmore, Direct Operations, National Cricket Academy.