Eden to play hosts to a number of domestic matches

Kolkata, June 24 (UNI) Eden Garden will host a number of matches of the BCCI Senior Tournaments this year.

While four of Bengal's Ranji Trophy matches would be played in the city, it would also host two Duleep Trophy matches. This was decided in a meeting of the East Zone representatives here today.

As per the Board's rotation policy, it was the turn of East Zone to host the Duleep Trophy matches starting from October 19. But since it is difficult to host matches before October 21 in the eastern part of the country owing to the onslaught of moonsoon, it was decided that Central Zone would host the first set of matches of the tournament from October 19 to 22 (West Zone v South Africa and East Zone v Central Zone).

Cuttack and Jamshedpur would host the West Zone v South Zone and Central Zone v North Zone matches respectively from October 27 to 30 October. While the match between East Zone and North Zone would be played from November 4 to 7 November at Guwahati, Kolkata would host the match between South Zone and South Africa on the same days.

The final of Duleep Trophy would be played at Eden Gardens from November 13 to 17.

As per BCCI'S draw of lots, Bengal would feature in Elite Division Group 'B' this year. On the basis of ''home and away'' matches, Bengal's Ranji Trophy encounter begins against Punjab at Mohali from 23 to 26 November. Bengal's other ''away'' match is from January 2 to 5 next year against Hyderabad.

Bengal, however, would play four matches (1 to 4 December vs Mumbai, 17 to 20 December vs Gujrat, 25 to 28 December vs Maharashtra and 10 to 13 January vs Rajasthan) at ''home''.

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