Late swing: MCA decide on fixed terms for CIC members

The Mumbai Cricket Association decided not to have former Mumbai captains Sanjay Manjrekar, Milind Rege and former Mumbai spinner and selector Sanjay Patil in the new Cricket Improvement Committee, formed after the July 15 elections where former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was voted into power.

Incidentally, the CIC panel (originally formed when Sharad Pawar took over as president from Manohar Joshi in 2001), included the trio and their names were announced by the MCA on August 21. "They said that we have completed eight years and we are no more required. Fine. I don't want to comment on their decision. But I will always be available for Mumbai cricket whenever required. My heart still bleeds for Mumbai. In my own way I will keep trying to nurture Mumbai's talent," Rege told MiD DAY yesterday. Incidentally, Rege and Manjrekar were in CIC since its inception.

However, an MCA source said that the CIC is an ad-hoc committee and there is no stipulated term for its members. "They cannot remove anyone only on the basis that they have spent eight or more years in the CIC. There is no such rule in the MCA constitution. This is all politics being played against cricketers," said the source.

When MiD DAY contacted MCA joint secretary Dr PV Shetty, he had no reason to cite. "Ask Nitin Dalal (the other joint secretary)," he said. Dalal was unavailable. It is learnt that the association which now decided on a term for the committee members, sent a letter to the trio informing them of their latest decision Meanwhile, PTI reported that former India cricketers Sanjay Bangar and Nilesh Kulkarni are in the reckoning for Mumbai coach's job. However, a final decision will be taken by the CIC on Monday.

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