As restrictions to the Lockdown were lifted in phases, Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has been concentrating on upgrading its infrastructure at the Indoor practise facility at the GCA Academy in Porvorim and helping Panjim Gymkhana ready its new pitch.
“The Executive Committee of GCA , according to secretary Vipul Phadke, after checking the facilities at the Indoor practise facility in Porvorim , has decided to upgrade the same with new nets and new pitches. “ We have already checked the facility with our consultants and tenders for works have already been issued. We expect to eselect the candiates and start work soon,” Vipul told this newspaper .
“The work is expected to approximately cost between Rs 25 lakhs to 30 lakhs,” he added.
The Indoor facility in Porvorim is primarily used by the players during the monsoons and the technical and financial bids were opened on June 9. “ We should have the palce ready by next month. We have devised plans on how to get players to come and practise in groups . However, we are aawaiting approval from BCCI in relation to the Standard Operating Procedure(SOP)to be adopted ,” said Vipul.
The GCA has completed the cricket pitch for Panjim Gymkhana with whom they had signed an MOU during the reign of former President Chetan Desai. GCA enlisted the work of Suryakant Naik- who curates the GCA pitch- and Panaji Gymkhana is set to see cricket matches in Campal once COVID-19 is a story of the past.
“GCA promised to contribute a sum of Rs one crore to Panjim Gymkhana towards the construction of their ground and we are sticking to the promise. The pitch is ready now and it is upto them to decide when they want to open the facility,” stated Vipul.
“Panjim Gymkhana is the oldest crcket ground in Goa where players who represented India came, played and left with warm tributes to our cricketing facilities. We have always had warm ties with GCA with most mebers of GCA being members of Panjim Gymkhana at some time. The pitch that has been prepared by GCA is the fruit of that association,” said Narahar Thakur , member of the Executive committee of Panjim Gymkhana who has been appointed to liaison with GCA.
“There is a visible affection between Panjim Gymkhana and GCA and it will always bloom,” added Thakur.
“ Once the pitch is ready and all restrictions are lifted, the Panjim Gymkhana hopes to host some Ranji Trophy matches, start a cricket academy and bring back to the people of Panjim the opportunity to watch top class cricket back and produce top class crirketers in the city,” said Thakur.
GCA has also been distributing cricket kits to children from South and North Goa. Around 40 odd cricket kits have been distibuited to children who have participated in GCA tournaments during the season that just concluded.
Each kit consisted of three bats,four batting pads;four batting gloves;four abdominal guards;four thigh pads; three helmets; and one wicket keeping glove.
“ We are waiting for BCCI guidelines after which we will concentrate on areas where risk is zero and get cricket running by abiding by all the norms regarding COVID-19 set by the government,” stated Suraj Lotlikar, president of GCA.
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