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Dawn BCCI to think hard before giving a match to Calcutta
Our Special Representative - 21 February 1999

CALCUTTA, Feb 20: The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Raj Singh Dungarpur admitted that the people of Calcutta have weakened their case for holding international matches in future.

``I think we will have to put our thinking caps and think about it. It is something which is a cause of worry for us. So I am sure when we (BCCI officials) will meet next time, future Tests at Eden Gardens would be on top of the agenda,'' Dungarpur told Dawn on Saturday.

It was the second time in three years that the Calcutta crowd behaved in such an uncharacteristic manner. In 1996, Sri Lanka were awarded the World Cup semi-final because of crowd disturbance while in 1983 a tomato was throw at Sunil Gavaskar's wife which forced the batsman to announce that he would never play at Calcutta again, though he reversed his decision later.

Dungarpur said the Pakistani cricketers were very keen to play at Calcutta. ``But I don't blame them for being unhappy now. It is something which the Indian board will collectively talk about it and see what can be done.''

Dungarpur, on the incident, said: ``I am sad and surprised that it has happened at one of the greatest Test centres of the world. I find it very difficult to describe what happened today because if the emotions were high pitched, then it should have happened when Saurav Ganguly (local hero) was out.''

Dungarpur was of the view that violence took place because the expectations of the crowd were too high as India has reduced Pakistan to 26 for six, then secured a first innings lead and then reaching 100 for no loss while chasing 279 for victory.

``Yesterday's reaction was emotional but today's action is not understandable. It has not done any credit to this marvellous cricketing arena, sports loving people of Bengal and the entire country.''

However, Dungarpur said emotions stake better than logic in both the emotionally charged countries. He recalled that a one-day international between Pakistan and India at Karachi in 1989-90 had to be called off because of crowd disturbance.

He observed that if crowd was the loser here, it was the winner at Chennai despite a marvellous game that went down to the wire. ``Neither India nor Pakistan won the match but the crowd.''

Dungarpur assured that this incident wouldn't happen when the Pakistan team would visit this country again the next month for the tri-nation one-day series also involving Sri Lanka. ``I promise that it is not going to be repeated again.''

Dungarpur said he had no reasons to believe that the crowd in Pakistan would retaliate when the Indian cricket team visits their neighbours in 22 months time. ``I see no reasons why the people of Pakistan should react because the anger (of the Calcutta crowd) was not against the Pakistan team. The anger was just because of frustration. I don't think the crowd was trying to harm the Pakistan players.''

When pointed out that stones were hurled at the Pakistan fielders, Dungarpur said: ``They were not throwing stones but part of cement. But this happens in most places.''


Source: Dawn
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