Vadodara: The Lodha Committee’s recommendations may take toll of Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd’s (APL) cricket team that has been playing in Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) tournaments for decades. Alembic Cricket Academy, one of the prestigious clubs in the city, has approached the association to withdraw its team citing conflict of interest that is one of the key points in Lodha Committee’s recommendations accepted by the Supreme Court.
APL managing director, Pranav Amin told TOI, “Yes, we have approached the BCA to seek withdrawal of Alembic cricket team from the BCA due to conflict of interest. The issue was discussed in the managing committee on Tuesday but it is yet to decide on our proposal.” Amin is in the BCA managing committee that is final decision-making authority on every important issue in the association. Also, one of the Alembic company’s employees is a selector in junior cricket.
BCA officials too said that the matter was discussed in the managing committee on Tuesday evening but no decision was taken. The international cricket stadium project at Kotambi was also taken up in the meeting. “We have invited two firms – ILF&S and VMS – for project proposal of the feasibility studies for the stadium on Friday. Our stadium feasibility committee will choose one of the firms,” said Amul Jikar, BCA treasurer.
BCA has also decided to send its Ranji and Under-19 team to South Africa for playing a cricket tournament. “The cricket improvement committee (CIC) has recommended the tour that will be organized in August subject to the budget approval. We appointed new coaches for our different teams. Darshan Mulherkar has been appointed as head coach of the senior women’s team while Bobby Badola will be head coach of junior women’s team. Nitin Surve will be head coach of Dabhoi academy,” said Snehal Parikh, BCA secretary (in-charge).
Jikar said that BCA has filed income tax returns for financial year 2015-16 and 2016-17 before March 31 this year. “We had an annual budget of Rs 14.5 crore for cricketing expenses before start of 2017-18 season of which we spent Rs 11.10 crore,” he added. BCA has also approached the BCCI for giving them ‘staging fees’ for organizing three India-Australia women’s one-day international matches in the city last month.
