BY A GT SPORTS REPORTER
PANJIM: The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has decided to shift focus to the under-12 and under-14 segment of the game.
Dayanand Narvekar, the president of GCA said that beginning from Monday a month-long exercise to tap talent (U-12, U-14 boys and women) would get underway at 12 centres in the state.
The centers include Mashem, Curchorem, Shiroda, Ponda, Bogda (Vasco), Aldona, Chapora, Mapusa, Sanquelim, Bicholim, Kancholem and Pernem. About 500 boys and girls are expected to turn out for the training schedule.
The camps would be conducted by 20 SAG coaches, who will oversee the training during the first quarter after which the number would be pruned to 15 in each category at each center. The second quarter would involve matches involving teams from all centers.
“So far we have concentrated on the under-13 players and then on to U-14 players. But we’ve found out during the last two years that though we have good players in the U-19 (category) basic talent was not available in the under-14 (section),” Narvekar said before adding that the idea of laying stress on the U-12 group was arrived at after a presentation made by Sandeep Naik.
Narvekar also informed that 5 GCA coaches, including the newest addition, Avinash Aware, will be supervising the camp. The SAG coaches would be paid a remuneration of Rs 10,000 each, while every club organizing the camp at the 12 centres would be given Rs 15000 in addition to the playing equipment.
Apart from Aware, and Raghuram Bhat (spin coach), who is already training the 25 players at Porvorim, Milind Gunjal will join the GCA roster as batting coach from April 5.
“The camp is not for GCA players, it is free for anybody and anybody,” Narvekar stressed.
At the end of the exercise, the GCA would retain 50 players in each category for further training, the GCA chief informed.
The GCA is also set to make functional its residential cricket academy at Porvorim (DIET ground) from July 2009. “The work is going on in full swing and it will take another 3 months to finish,” Narvekar said, while detailing out the parameters (of the sports policty) that would be required to make the participation more effective.
A gymnasium costing about Rs 80 lakh is also being put up at Povorim, according to Narvekar, who also spoke of `extensive laying of pitches’ at Porvorim, Shiroda and BITS Pilani (Sancoale), saying these are all turf grounds, which are done by noted BCCI (South Zone) curator Vishwanathan.
The mud for these pitches is being brought from the Godavari basin in Hyderabad, which would render them (pitches) sporting and expect a lot of bounce.
Goa may host ODI this year
If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sticks to its rotation policy for awarding international matches, Goa would in all probability be awarded one in October this year.
Narvekar, said that Goa would be allotted an ODI involving either Australia or Sri Lanka, though the BCCI is yet to name the venues for matches during the visit of both the teams.
Preferring to host the Australia match, Narvekar said that the GCA has already alerted the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) and would take charge of the ground from May 20 so as to relay the entire pitch and get it ready in time for the ODI.
