The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has paved the way for cricket’s growth in all six north-eastern States by assuring them a slot in the Ranji Trophy from next season.
The participation of the six States — Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh — was one of important suggestions in the Lodha Committee reforms to extend the game to remote areas of the country.
At a meeting here on Friday, the representatives from the six States were given an assurance by the CoA chairman Vinod Rai that they would be able to participate as individual units in the 2018-19 season.
Veteran Board official Prof. Ratnakar Shetty has been tasked with the responsibility to work out a smooth integration of the six States into the mainstream.
Some former cricketers in the past had expressed their apprehensions regarding granting of first-class status to the North-East States, claiming the move would dilute the quality of cricket, an opinion which did not hold weight in the view of the Lodha Committee.
The north-east States had expressed their desire to compete in the Ranji Trophy this season as a combined team but the CoA spelt out time and logistics constraints since the tournament commences on October 6.
The north-east will be considered as the sixth zone of the cricket circuit with each State participating as individual units in under-23 and under-16 categories from the current season. The finalists of the North-East Zone would then participate in the National inter-zonal tournament in these sections.
On the issue regarding rescheduling of the under-19 section, since this age group is played on group basis and now zone-wise, the CoA has asked the technical committee of the Board to make the final call.
For women cricketers, a talent hunt will be organised in October even as the States can participate in National tournaments from this season itself.
The CoA is going to support permanent membership for these six States and the recommendation is expected to be made to the Supreme Court, keeping in mind the new constitution which is to be finalised soon.
The disbursement of funds to the north-east States would be subjected to their acceptance of Lodha Committee reforms.
“We have indicated our acceptance to implement the reforms in toto,” said the North-East Cricket Development Committee convenor Naba Bhattacharjee.