Nagaon, May 15: The Assam Cricket Association?s governing body meeting here today failed to name a coach for the Ranji team even after five hours of deliberations over two applicants for the post. The matter will now be decided by a sub-committee of former players.
Sources said members of the ACA governing body had long heated arguments about the physical and professional abilities of the two aspirants ? Gyanendra Pandey of Uttar Pradesh and Goutam Shome of West Bengal. Finally, the meeting resolved to constitute a sub-committee of former players to finalise the coach. ?A panel of former players will select one of the two applicants within the next three or four days,? said ACA secretary Bikash Baruah after the meeting.
Several of ACA?s affiliates, such as the Guwahati Sports Association, are not in favour of recruiting any outstation professional as coach unless he has been a Test player. The district associations have also been advocating handing over of the baton of coach to a former state player who could be more effective.
Representatives from almost all the affiliated districts attended the meeting, presided over by vice-president Rupkamal Kakati, that discussed 11 vital issues, including proposals for the uplift of the ACA activities.
The general body meeting at the Nurul Amin Stadium here also resolved to hold a zonal inter-district school cricket tournament. The nitty-gritty of the tournament to be held from July this year will be worked out by a separate sub-committee soon, Baruah said.
The meeting also failed to arrive at a consensus on the Titabor Sports Association?s prayer for ACA affiliation. After discussing the matter in detail, the meeting recommended deputing a team of technical experts to Titabor to assess whether provisional affiliation could be accorded.
However, it was decided that the duration of the summer coaching camp would be increased from five to 25 days.
The meeting also proposed to form a sub-committee to chalk out a strategy for the revival of the Assam Cricket Academy. ?The academy will be in Guwahati but there will be a director and two members from each zone,? Baruah said.
Another major resolution adopted was to take ?stern action against ACA assistant secretary Ashis Bhattacharjee? because of his inaction.
