Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Jan 30: With the inauguration of a turf wicket by Brijesh Patel, secretary of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) here on Friday January 29, Manipal University hopes to host national cricket during the next season. Impressed with the facilities at the ground, the former Indian cricketer said the university could be a wonderful venue for big-time cricket.
KPL matches and also the under-19 and under-22 matches can be played straight away he said. With the addition of dressing rooms and a pavilion, even Ranji matches and other bigger games can be played, he added. He also pointed out the scope for an academy to come up here.
Brijesh was happy with not only the four turf wickets, but also the ground, which is a carpet of green. He said it was comparable with the best in the country and that it also met the standards required to host a big match.
Later, Patel oversaw the sports facilities at the university. He was particularly impressed with the sports complex which is coming up on the campus. The complex has gymnasiums, a basketball court, four squash courts, five badminton courts and a walking track all air-conditioned.
Patel suggested that indoor cricket could be added to these facilities so that the students could use the facility during monsoons. He also suggested covers on top of the cricket practice nets both at the MIT cricket ground and at the ground where the turf wickets were inaugurated.
About the Ground
The ground has a picturesque setting too. Being at the end point of Manipal, which is on a plateau, the scenery around the ground is absolutely marvelous. The Western Ghats can be seen at a distance on a clear day and on the other side is the Arabian Sea.
The curator is none other than the former Karnataka Ranji player A V Jagganath from Bangalore who is also the National Cricket Academy curator. Assisting him is another former Ranji player of state Pravin Kumar from Bangalore. He is also a coach at the Brijesh Patel Academy.
As for the facilities at the ground, there are eight practice pitches including six of matting and two turf wickets. A motorized roller and the manually operated light rollers were used to make the turf wickets. The covers were adequate to take care of even the bowling run up as per the specifications for big matches.