LAHORE: The uncertainty hovering over the future of curators and ground staff associated with the 16 regional cricket associations of the country prevails as the Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to announce its line of action regarding the matter.

Last month, as many as 243 groundsmen were awarded two-month contract extensions — ending October 19 — after the regional cricket associations were replaced by six provincial cricket associations following the approval of the new PCB constitution by the federal government in August.

What happens to the ground staff now is a big question.

According to the PCB, the regional associations’ groundsmen were not its direct employees and that the country’s cricket governing body is involved in ongoing discussions with these associations.

Earlier, the PCB was paying a monthly contribution for the ground staff, as well as two executive officials of each regional body. However, after the implementation of the new constitution, the PCB has no provision to pay any contribution to such staff.

Meanwhile, there is no progress in the shaping of the six new provincial cricket associations and no office bearers have been appointed yet while the role of regional cricket associations also is unclear.

The situation has left the groundsmen waiting for the PCB to decide their fate.

“There is no final decision as yet at PCB’s end about these staff and it is premature to comment if the PCB will retain all the staff, reduce it, or not to have a single one,” a PCB official told Dawn.

The Lahore Region Cricket Association, like its other counterparts, has also been affected by the change in PCB’s constitution. Dawn has learnt that the association has already released seven of its 15 groundsmen.

Similarly, with the roles of regional cricket associations limited and that of departments ended permanently, like ground staff, hundreds of cricketers have also lost their jobs and are looking towards other professions to earn a living.

The new PCB constitution clearly mentions that the provincial cricket associations should be formed forthwith soon after its approval but almost two months have passed and nothing such has took place.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2019