Title - ACA axe on NFR

Guwahati, Aug. 19:The Assam Cricket Association has initiated steps to bar NF Railway Sports Association (NFRSA) from fielding its teams in the junior age group cricket tournaments in the state.
According to sources in the ACA, decks have been cleared for a decision in this regard in the ACA’s meeting with its affiliated district sports association presidents and secretaries here on August 22.
The move may be termed a fallout of a series of attacks on the ACA by a section of NF Railway employees, who are former state cricketers, in the media.
Confirming the development toThe Telegraph, ACA secretary Bikash Baruah, said, “A section of the district associations have been demanding the same for some time because the players in the under-15 (school), under-16 and under-17 age groups are not employees with the NF Railways. We will place the matter for discussion in the August 22 meeting and will abide by the house’s opinion.”
The Railway outfit will be eligible for the under-19, under-25 and senior inter-district tournaments, provided the players are employees with the NF Railway, the ACA secretary added.
The NFRSA is an affiliated district unit of the ACA and its academy has produced the likes of Abu Nechim Ahmed, who is currently the captain of the state senior team, and a host of players for the state.
The development in the ACA assumes significance in view of the fact that a few former first class players, who are employees with the NF Railway, have offended the ACA by making so mere marks against the ACA top brass during the last two months.
The ACA has also moved the NFRSA and the NF Railway general manager here against former Ranji players Rajesh Borah, Syed Zakaria Zuffri and Tilak Das, alleging that they were trying to mislead the people of the state.
The players apparently alleged that the state does not have any qualified coach and support staff in a recent television talk show.
Terming it as a “disrespect” by the former players towards the coaches and support staff, the ACA said it currently has 31 National Cricket Academy qualified coaches and 10 BCCI accredited support staff including physio, trainer and video analyst at its disposal.
It has urged the NF railway authorities concerned to initiate action against the employees for the misdemeanour.
The district sports associations will definitely throw their weight on the issue particularly after the senior players concerned did not spare the members from the districts concerned by criticising them of not being qualified as cricket administrators.
“It is not necessary to be a good cricketer to be a good administrator. Jagmohan Dalmia, as everybody knows, was never a great cricketer, but he is invariably a great administrator,” one of the district sports association secretaries said, wishing anonymity.
NF Railway SA general secretary P.K. Singh said he was “unaware of a development to bar his association from participation in the junior tournaments”.