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| June 10, 2003 | Tuesday | Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1424 |
PCB believes in quantity rather than quality
LAHORE, June 9: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday proposed to organize an incredible tally of 803 matches in the 2003-4 domestic season, leaving no stone unturned to prove the current cricket managers believe in quantity rather than quality.
According to details of the proposed structure obtained by Dawn, the next season with drastic changes is slated to begin from end of June instead of September with the number of matches far exceeding the 444 played last season.
The new season starts with two new under-15 tournaments. The first such event will be held at inter-district level from June 29 and the second at inter-region level from July 14.
In all, five tournaments in the junior section have been planned. Among them are four one-day tournaments while the remaining one consists of two-day matches. Besides the two under-15 events, three will be three under-19 competitions. A total of 401 matches In the junior section will be played against just 168 last season.
However, the PCB, as usual, chooses to create a chaotic situation given the extreme hot weather at this time of the year, followed by rain in August.
Among other changes in a futile bid to promote the game at regional level, PCB has decided to hold two first-class tournaments once again after previous season’s lopsided concept of plunging 24 teams in one first-class competition.
Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, the season’s showpiece championship will now be played on a double-league basis at inter-regional level from Feb 1, 2004 to April 30 with eight regions being proposed as participants. They are Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar. A total of 56 four-day matches are planned to be staged on a home-and-away pattern.
The other first-class tournament sees the return of Patron’s Trophy with 28 four-day matches. It will be played from Dec 18, 2003 to Jan 26, 2004. The PCB in proposal has not outlined who are the competing teams.
Meanwhile, the numbers of one-day matches in two tournaments have been reduced to 62 as against 72 last season. Eight teams will take part in each 31-match competition. The first one-day contest will be held at inter-regional level from Oct 5 to 29. The second competition will be for departments from Nov 29 to Dec 15.
The non-first class events of two-day and three-day matches is proposed to begin from Sept 10. In all three tournaments will be played n aggregate of 256 matches proposed.
The PCB has decided to discard non-first-class competitions such as Kardar Trophy, Cornelius Trophy and PCB Trophy, which were introduced last year. Instead, inter-district (senior), inter-department qualifying round and inter-regional (senior) level-II tournaments have been inducted.
Following is the proposed programme for 2003/4 season:
First-class tournaments:
Quaid-i-Azam Trophy (inter-regional level), Feb 1 to April 30, 2004; eight teams; 56 for-day matches on double league basis.
Patron’s Trophy: Dec 18, 2003 to Jan 26, 2004, eight teams, 28 four-day matches on single league basis.
One-day tournaments:
Inter-regional basis, Oct 5 to Oct 29; eight teams, 31 matches on single league basis.
Inter-department level, Nov 29 to Dec 15; eight teams, 31 matches on single league basis.
Non-first-class tournaments:
Inter-district (senior), Sept 10 to Sept 29; 74 teams; 178 matches; two-day duration.
Inter-department (qualifying round), Nov 4 to Nov 22; 22 teams; 50 matches; three-day duration; Four groups.
Inter-regional (senior) level-II, Feb 1 to March 5; eight teams; 28 three-day matches on single league.
Junior TOURNAMENTs:
Under-15 inter-district, June 29 to July 9; 74 teams; 178 one-day matches.
Under-15 inter-regional, July 14 to July 22; eight teams; 15 one-day matches.
Under-19 inter-district level, July 27 to Aug 8; 74 teams, 178 one-day matches.
Under-19 inter-regional, Aug 13 to Sept 4; eight teams; 15 one-day matches.
Under-19 inter-regional, Aug 13 to Sept 4; eight teams, 15 two-day matches.
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