Things made too difficult for cricket clubs under new model constitution

ISLAMABAD: Tough and non-practical conditions under the prevailing circumstances in Pakistan have been set for the establishment of a full member club by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in its Model Constitution for Cricket Clubs and Club Affiliation and Operation Rules.

In line with the requirements under the new constitution and definition of full member club, a Club would have at least 15 voting members; a dedicated cricket ground as per the grounds policy of the Board which is not used by any other Club; have dedicated multiple nets of specified standard; have available more than three turf pitches; have available a gymnasium for use by players during a dedicated period; and have active junior teams of Under-13 and Under-16 age groups.

It is pertinent to mention here that it has always been a difficult task for even a district association in the past to establish under-13 or uder-16 teams that is the reason never in the history of National Under-13 Championship an inter-district competition was held.

The PCB in the past had to content with Inter-region Championship with reason that picking under-13 players at district level was always been a difficult task. If the PCB cannot organize inter-district under-13 championship how one could expect a club having an under-13 team.

Secondly, a very few clubs in the country have full access to a devoted ground where hardly it can manage a one turf. Usually three clubs use one ground. Establishing three turfs for Club would not be an easy job. Maintaining or establishing a gymnasium had always been difficult for PCB in the past and expecting this from a club is highly impossible. There is hardly any region in the country where players have access to gymnasium. Even sharing a gymnasium for clubs has never been that easier in the past.

Regions and districts have struggled to get access to gymnasium and if they did that, it was after paying heavy amount.

Even the regional academies that had been working since 2001 under the umbrella of the PCB struggled to have proper access to the gymnasium. The PCB has never been in a position to establish gyms for their academies during the last two decades. Expecting this from a club is definitely asking too much.

According to PCB new constitution for Clubs, Rules must be complied with by the first Cricket Clubs recognised under the new domestic structure and once the City Cricket Associations are set up, these will be used by them when determining which cricket club shall be awarded affiliation.