Goa will play host to an international one day cricket matchnext year at the Fatorda stadium and another match will be played in 2015 atthe new cricket stadium to be constructed at the sports city coming up atDhargal. Speaking to The Goan, the President of the GCA Mr. Vinod Phadke said“During the General Body meeting, Mr. N Srinivasan said that when we give himthe letter from the government confirming the allocation of land for the cricket stadium, the BCCI will allocate amatch. Next year the match will be held at Fatorda stadium and the match in thenew stadium will be held in 2015”.
The new ground will be a km away from the Pernem railwaystation and 5 kms from the airport. The nearest five star was now 25 km awayand with the sports city coming up it is expected that new hotels will beconstructed in the area. The MOU isexpected to be signed sometime later this month.
Phadke revealed that association was looking for one moreground and they would like it in Mapusa, since there were no cricket grounds inthe south. They were willing to pay approximately Rs. 500 per squaremetre.
Asked why Tivim was not considered, he said a case had beenfiled and that there were several tenants which made it very time consuming.With regards to generating profits from the new stadium, the association plannedto have a mall, wedding halls restaurants and a club house for which lifememberships will be sold. This, the association feels will generate adequatefunds to conduct all the activities like training, conducting camps etc. With the BCCI giving them 15 crores everyyear it is expected there will be no letup in the drive to improve cricket inthe state.
The goal of the association was to ensure the presence of astate player in the In dia A team and the national team within the next threeyears. Shadab jakati he felt had the potential to play in the India A team. Hehowever refused to be drawn when asked for names of young talented stateplayers who could make it into the national team.
