NURUL AMIN TROPHY

Guwahati, March 28: Terming the present format of the Nurul Amin Trophy cricket tournament as an exercise in futility, several senior Assam players have suggested that the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) should reorganise and reschedule the meet.

The cricketers said postponing the meet midway through the playoffs on March 25 over some age-related problems has provided the ACA an opportunity to sort out the shortcomings for deriving maximum benefit out of it.

“The postponement has come as a blessing in disguise, though the reasons are least convincing. Now the think-tank should find out whether the meet should be used as trials for Ranji Trophy aspirants at the onset of the season like the Challenger Trophy or held just after the inter-district Nuruddin Trophy,” a senior player said.

“The Nurul Amin Trophy if held before the season could be the selectors’ guide to a player’s form and fitness,” he added.

Under the present format, the four semi-finalists of the inter-district Nuruddin Trophy play each other with the winners progressing to the final.

Defending champions Guwahati, Nuruddin Trophy champions NF Railway, Nagaon and Tinsukia have qualified for the meet this year.

Guwahati have advanced to the final by virtue of their first innings lead over Tinsukia.

The ACA, however, decided to put off the meet until the governing body settles the minimum age limit for senior tournaments with NF Railway. The railway side was to take on hosts Nagaon.

However, another senior player wondered what age limit would be set by the cricket association for a senior meet where everyone is eligible to play unlike an age-group tournament.

“The ACA has to make the domestic circuit more competitive to get desired results. Along with the season-opening Nurul Amin Trophy, we also need a few more meets. If that is not possible then it should jointly hold meets that are already popular,” he said.

The ACA secretary Bikash Baruah had said at the start of the meet that the cricket association was aware of the need to make the meet meaningful, but pleaded helplessness as it was a governing body decision to hold the meet as scheduled in Nagaon.

“However, now we are saddled with this postponement, which was requested by the ACA president himself,” the player said.

“It will not be out of context to quote former umpire Suren Ram Phookan who had recently said that Baruah was the best-ever secretary the ACA had had. Therefore, it was time Baruah lived upto Phukan’s expectations before the perception change,” he added.

PLAYERS’ VIEWPOINT

• Make Nurul Amin Trophy the season opener on the lines of the
Challenger Trophy

• Instead of four teams, there should be three teams, including the inter-district champions

• The other two teams should comprise the best performers of the district meet

• The teams should play each other once over three days, with the final spread over four days

• Meet should be held at a well-equipped ground with sporting pitches

• The present format is an exercise in futility