Impediments in holding Nov 20 Indo-England ODI at Kanpur removed

Lucknow, Nov 3 (UNI) The tussle between the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) and the state government over holding of the India-England One dayer at the Green Park stadium Kanpur on November 20 was resolved today, when the UPCA handed over a cheque for Rs one crore to the authorities.

UPCA secretary ( Administration) Prem Dhar Pathak told UNI that the Association this afternoon handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore to the Kanpur district magistrate.

Earlier dispute rose when the state government demanded Rs 1 crore as a rent for Green Park stadium for holding the One dayer.

Though the UPCA should have taken the charge of the stadium at least one month before the schedule match but now the Green Park would be handed over to the Association tomorrow, leaving only 16 days to make the pitch and ground conditions suitable for the international match.

Pathak said the condition of pitch and the ground was good and very little was left to be done by the Association for the scheduled international match.

Last time for the India-Pakistan One-dayer, the UPCA had reportedly paid a sum of Rs 9 lakh instead of Rs 31 lakh, and this time too they had tried their level best to reduce the charge from Rs 1 crore.

The UPCA giving reasons that demand of Rs 1 crore by the state was not justified officials claimed that they spend too much for the state government with giving 3000 complimentary tickets in a match and also arrange food packets for the State Government officials and the VVIPs during the match.

''Just last year itself UPCA had spent a sum of Rs 60 lakh on the renovation and maintenance of the stadium, and the amount goes upto Rs 1 crore during the last 10 years itself, an UPCA official claimed.

However, state government officials justified the demand of Rs 1 crore for a match saying a rich cricket body like UPCA can pay such amount.

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