NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Kapil slams Haryana cricket association

The war between Kapil Dev and Haryana Cricket Association over in the functioning of the body has intensified with the world's highest wicket-taker threatening to ''knock other doors of justice'' for salvaging the game in the state.

''I am going to promote the game in my own way, and have decided to organise a camp for the up and coming players of the state in Gurgaon. I will also visit the district headquarters to promote the game in their respective jurisdiction,'' Kapil said, annoyance obvious in his body language.

The former India skipper, who also led Haryana, lashed out at HCA president S K Mishra and secretary Ranbir Singh for their secretive style of functioning.

During a press conference in Chandigarh a few months back, Kapil alongwith other senior cricketers and officials of the association had condemned the ''undemocratic'' working of the HCA and decided not to participate in its activities. They had charged the HCA with nominating members who had no background of cricket and keeping the accounts secret.

''In spite of my repeated requests, no copy of the accounts for the last five years was provided to me or the district cricket associations ... Most of the life members have no cricketing background and are relatives or friends of the secretary,'' the former all-rounder charged.

He expressed surprise that the life members were given the right to vote at par with the district cricket associations and complained, ''I was provided with a copy of the constitution amended in 1997, but the original constitution was not given to me.''

Kapil accused the secretary of amending the constitution to suit his personal agenda. ''The life members can cast votes by proxy. Since no notice has been circulated to the district associations for annual general meetings and executive committee meetings, an amendment has been brought about saying inadvertent ommission to give notice or non-receipt of the notice shall not stall the proceedings,'' he pointed out.

With this amendment, Ranbir Singh had tried to overcome his acts of ommission in the past and ensured that he could continue with his ''undemocratic'' functioning in future, Kapil claimed.

He allged that the constitution had been amended in such a manner that only seven of the 90 members of the general council could constitute the quorum for the house. ''It appears that the HCA president is also hand-in-glove in all these misdoings of the secretary,'' Kapil said.

In an oblique reference to Ajay Jadeja, Kapil said there was only one player from the state in the national team and claimed that even he was not happy with the working of the HCA, which lacked transparency.