Magazine - Artificial turf for 1st class?

By Editor in Cricket on 20th Aug 2010 8:00

If all goes to plan, Kolkata could well be the first venue in India to stage first-class cricket matches on artificial turf.

The Cricket Association of Bengal is weighing the idea of installing semi-synthetic turf at its grounds in order to beat prolonged play-interruptions caused by monsoons and unseasonal rains. The idea comes from CAB curator Prabir Mukherjee who wants to initiate the installation of Tiger Turf at the Jadavpur University Second Campus ground — a venue for Bengal’s Ranji trophy home matches — and only for practice purposes at Eden Gardens.

He has already discussed the matter with CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya who is said to have shown interest in the idea. “Installation can begin only after the World Cup next year,” Mukherjee told this newspaper on Wednesday.

“If proceedings go undisturbed, it (Tiger Turf) will be laid only at the JU Campus ground and at our academy ground in Kalyani. And as far as Eden is concerned, the turf can only be used for practice purposes as we need to find a suitable area to go ahead with our plan,” he added.

Incidentally, the football World Cup matches in South Africa this year were all played on Tiger Turf. Also, former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah too has sent Mukherjee an e-mail, citing the necessity of this kind of surface.

Source & More: www.asianage.com

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