How CAB botched up final ICC inspection of Eden

Kushan Sarkar

New Delhi, Jan 29 (PTI) Having lost their face in frontof the cricketing fraternity, the blame game has alreadystarted in the corridors of Cricket Association of Bengal forthe inept manner in which they handled the situation duringthe January 25 inspection of the Eden Gardens by the ICC team.

It has now come to light that an unprecendented 32officials mostly without any knowledge about the progress ofrenovation work accompanied the ICC team. With their distinctlack of knowledge, they made the situation even more messy anddamage was waiting to happen.

The most baffling aspect was how Chitrak Mitra, a formerjoint secretary of the association and in-charge of thestadium renovation work could absent himself on January 25when he was the one who was aware about every minute detailrelated to the renovation.

"There were 32 people inside the ground with officialswhen all you needed was two to three officials who are in theloop. Instead those who were present didn''t have an iota ofknowledge about what to say and what not to say infront of ICCofficials," a former executive functionary, who was one of thefew who had attended stadium committee told PTI today.

It may sound hilarious but the ICC officials were takento exactly those areas where the construction work was yet tobe finished.

"These officials who accompanied the ICC team, took themto all the areas where work was incomplete. They took them tocorporate boxes and even to the washrooms. Our officials justplayed it into their hands", he said.

The allegations are also flying thick and fast againstMitra whose high-handed attitude is believed to have also hadan impact in the decision making.

It has been learnt that when ICC team told them toadjust the height of sightscreen to 20 feet, the CAB counterquestioned asking the world cricket body to specify how manyother venues were doing the same adjustment?

During the final inspection, the CAB officials were alsoreluctant to divulge how many seats in the corporate boxeswill they be releasing for the sponsors. More PTI KHS MRM