Eden Gardens gear up to host Kolakat-Mumbai tie on Tuesday

Kolkata, Apr 27 (UNI) The Eden Gardens have been gearing up to host Kolkata-Mumbai match on Tuesday amidst speculation over availability of injured Sachin Tendulkar and stand-in-captain Harbhajan Singh after the ruckus with S Sreesanth.

City Police Commissioner Goutam Mohan Chakraborty is scheduled to make a visit to Eden this evening to oversee security arrangement as the BJP had threatened to protest if cheerleaders were allowed to perform.

West Bengal Left Front Chairman Biman Basu had said the western concept of entertainment being staged on playground smacked of bad taste for oriental culture. He, however, refrained from making any comment on whether the performance of these cheergirls should be banned.

Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty said he was opposed to continuing with the performance by cheergirls and the Government should stop it.

His voice was echoed by two of his colleagues PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami and Water Investigation Minister Nandagopal Bhattacharya, who said the on-the-ground dance was against the Indian culture and 'perverted in nature'.

Eden faces another wrath after its central pitch surface gave in due to dryness and power tripped at the crucial point of the Kolkata-Hyderabad match on April 18.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had to intervene after Hyderabad captain V V S Laxman was critical over the pitch condition.

BCCI's pitch and grounds committee chairman Daljit Singh flew in here and suggested an alternate pitch on the eastern side of the central pitch, for the Kolkata-Mumbai match.

The tripping of power lines from two towers had also embarrassed the Writers Buildings, which set up a committee to ensure cohesion among the agencies to avoid such darkness during night cricket at Eden.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Knihgt Riders returned today after tasting defeat in Chennai yesterday, that put KKR to fourth place in IPL table.

Sourav Ganguly said his side did not do well but came back good as eleven more matches are still there.

All eyes are now in Mumbai today to see wheater Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 35, could make himself available against Hyderabad. Both Mumbai and Hyderabad lost all three matches they played so far in the IPL.

BCCI suspended Harbhajan Singh after he allegedly slapped Sreesanth. BCCI would hear the case in New Delhi tomorrow.

UNI PC LL AB BST1904