aca-jdsa clash

Guwahati, May 30: Former Ranji Trophy player Naren Sabhapandit has appealed to the Jorhat District Sports Association (JDSA) and the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) to bury the hatchet and work together for improving the condition of the game in Jorhat.

There has been many negative vibes emanating from the two associations after the ACA announced a revival plan for Jorhat at the recent condolence meeting of former umpires board chief Dilip Sarmah.

The JDSA has been peeved at the ACA directly approaching former cricketers of Jorhat for the revival mission. Similarly, the association found it hard to swallow an ACA official’s comment that the game has hit rock bottom in the district, which has not produced a single Ranji player for the past 12 years.

Sabhapandit, who is also an ACA selection committee member, today tried to soothe frayed nerves. “The revival plan is a positive gesture from the ACA and we should make the most of it. When it comes to welfare of the game and cricketers, we should be a little lenient on the ACA’s alleged one-upmanship in inviting former players directly without going through the JDSA,” he said.

“I can tolerate a bigger insult to my ego if it can lift the game in my hometown,” the seniormost among the Ranji players living in the Upper Assam town said. “Being a player from the district, I appeal to the JDSA to take the initiative of holding parleys and chalk out plans for the development of the game. The meeting should, in fact, be held immediately.”

Sabhapandit admitted that the standard of cricket in the district has fallen remarkably over the years. The JDSA should have realised the problem long ago and approached him and his contemporaries for help, the former player who represented the state in the Ranji Trophy for 12 years said.

Speaking on behalf of the veteran players, he said: “I can assure that our services will always be ready for the ACA as well as the JDSA. We should be thankful to the ACA for pointing out the mistakes. We (the former players) are equally responsible for the lapses.”