CUTTACK 14-Oct-2012 337
Odisha Cricket Association in its three sub-committees’ meetings today here at Barabati Stadium took several important decisions including revival of the Odisha Premier League (OPL), the domestic T-20 tournament in April, next year and launching of OCA Club tentatively at Barabati Stadium next year on January 26. The three sub-committees were Tour & Tournament Committee, State & District Level Cricket Academy Committee and Club Committee.
According to the decisions, the OPL will be revived after a gap of two years and it will be conducted in a new format, involving eight teams namely East, West, North, South, Blue, Red, Green and Yellow. Teams will be formed with 15 players each. Players will be selected on the basis of draw of lot from a pool of 120 best cricketers of OCA. Interested parties/firms will be requested to sponsor these teams. Matches will be played at Cuttack and Sambalpur venues only.
The first edition of the OPL, featuring 10 teams, 171 players and 44 matches was conducted at five venues from May 22 to June 12, 2010. Western Samurai Rourkela, led by Natraj Behera, won the inaugural edition, defeating Katak Barabati Tigers in the final by four runs at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
The champion team bagged the top prize of Rs 4 lakhs, while the runners-up received Rs 2 lakhs. Tigers` captain Biplab Samantaray justified his value as the costliest player of the tournament by grabbing the man of the tournament award which fetched him a Ford Figo car and a cash prize of Rs 25, 000.
The OPL-II was cancelled as the franchisees did not deposit the money within the stipulated time after facing harassment from various qafters. But this time, OCA has decided to do the funding itself, instead of involving any franchise owner.
Among other decisions taken by the sub-committees, OCA domestic tournaments for under 14, 16, 19 age groups, senior men (Kalahandi Cup) and women will be conducted from December 10 to February 10, 2013 at Cuttack on turf wickets. All universities will be requested to field their teams in the Inter-District Women Cricket Tournament. They will be given playing right for the purpose.
OCA will conduct paid coaching camp at Odisha Cricket Academy, Cuttack and Zonal Cricket Academy, Sambalpur. Young cricketers in under-14 age group will be given opportunity to take coaching during morning and evening sessions in both the academies, avail gym and other required facilities on payment basis.
According another decision, the OCA Club will be inaugurated at Barabati Stadium next year on January 26. Membership drive (two categories of membership) for the club will be completed by December 31. The cost of the form is Rs 1000. Fees for Life membership and Corporate membership have been set as Rs 2 lakhs and Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 7 lakhs respectively.
The members of the OCA Club will be given the right to purchase two tickets for any international cricket match to be organized at Barabati Stadium by OCA. They will also have the advantage to avail the services of other clubs throughout the country those will be tied up with the OCA Club.
All affiliated district units of OCA will be asked to prepare a minimum of two turf wickets in their respective districts by March 31, 2013.
