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Guwahati, Sept. 11: Nehru Stadium here was inaugurated on July 15, 1962, with an exhibition football match between Chief Minister’s XI and Gauhati High Court Chief Justice’s XI on a rainy day.
The match could not be completed.
Today, after 50 years, a match of the Abhishek Motors RG Baruah Trophy Guwahati Super League between Gauhati Town Club and Food Corporation of India SC was again abandoned midway following a heavy downpour, thanks to clogged drains in the nerve centre of sports in the state.
With 14 minutes of scheduled time left to be played in the relegation group match, GTC, who were trailing by a goal, complained to the match officials about the unplayable conditions. The light, too, was below the permissible limit for football and the match was abandoned.
FCI were leading with a 21st minute goal by striker Biswamittra Basumatary.
The match will be replayed tomorrow and the scheduled match between Assam Police Blues and Assam State Electricity Board SC has been rescheduled for September 15.
“We are not rescheduling any of the championship group matches scheduled for September 13 and 14,” said Guwahati Sports Association general secretary Ibocha Singh.
During today’s match, it started drizzling midway into the first session and rained heavily by the 65th minute and within half-an-hour of the shower, the ground was waterlogged.
Marking the 50th year of the infrastructure, the Board of Sports of Assam, which maintains the stadium, has tabled a proposal with Dispur for funds to improve the drainage system and earth filling of the ground apart from other renovation works.
The proposal is, however, yet to be cleared by Dispur.
The Assam Cricket Association, which hosts one-day international cricket and Ranji Trophy matches in the same stadium, is the only agency, which maintains the ground every year during the cricket season.
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