Players’ assn demands Lodha reforms in PCA

Chandigarh, The Pun Cricket Players Association (PCPA), a body of former first class cricketers from Punjab, today passed a resolution that the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) must adopt the draft constitution prepared by the Lodha Committee, enrol cricketers as PCA’s members and hold elections without further delay.
It may be mentioned here that PCA is being currently run by an ad hoc committee as all its office-bearers were found ineligible and had to put in their papers after the Supreme Court accepted the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. PCPA, however, alleged that the ad hoc committee was merely a charade and the former office-bearers were still calling the shots.
PCPA’s officials, however, sounded optimistic that everything would change in a couple of months. “The Supreme Court has already given its order, and the ongoing legal tussle would also end soon,” said Rakesh Handa, PCPA secretary. Handa insisted that, as per the Lodha Committee recommendations, all the players who had represented Punjab in the Ranji Trophy had automatically become PCA members.
Self-promotion?
The PCPA officials alleged the former office-bearers had done nothing to promote the sport in the state. “Apart from a couple of centres, there are no facilities and infrastructure in the rest of the state. They focussed on centralising every facility in Mohali,” said PCPA treasurer Bharti Vij.
During a PCPA meeting at the PCA Stadium in Mohali today, some members highlighted how district associations were being run like family concerns. Another member pointed out that despite the association getting hefty grants from BCCI, it was paying very poor salaries to its coaches. A few members alleged that PCA had become vindictive towards them for joining PCPA and was harassing them. “PCA hasn’t given me any matches to officiate in the last four months,” said Vij, who’s also an umpire.
Interestingly, the Punjab Cricketers Welfare Association, another body of Punjab cricketers, also held its meeting at the PCA Stadium. The members suggested that salaries of the coaches and the prize money in the inter-district tournaments should be enhanced.