Hyderabad: The internal fight in the Hyderabad Cricket Association is well documented but on Sunday the graph plummeted after the Association released ‘two’ Hyderabad teams — one signed by the secretary and the other by the Apex Council — to take part in the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s tournament in Bengaluru starting on Wednesday.
One team was picked by the selection committee constituted on Saturday while the other was drafted by selectors who had been in office.
Secretary T. Sheshnarayan contends that under the Association rules, he is the convenor of the meetings and that the one endorsed by the Apex Council is not valid.
The Apex Council itself is a depleted, divided house. Out of the nine members, the president is disqualified, there are no representatives of the male and female players’ associations while the CAG nominee has not been attending meets due to personal reasons it is learnt. Now, that leaves just five members — the secretary, joint secretary, vice-president, treasurer and a council member.
The sub-tussle is also about who should convene the Apex Council meetings — the secretary or the CEO, according to the Lodha Committee recommendations which were adopted by the HCA on July 8.
Sheshnarayan said: “In the wake of the ongoing developments, I spoke to BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhury, who has confirmed to me that the team sent under the signature of the secretary will be considered official and permitted to play. The same was informed to KSCA secretary Sudhakar Rao.”
Rivalry apart, turmoil in the HCA is a huge embarrassment for Hyderabad cricket not only within the state but at the national level. One only hopes the cricketers don’t get caught in the crossfire.
