IPL Extras: Miffed MCA officials hand over IPL accreditations

The Mumbai Cricket Association officials are known for wearing their emotions on their sleeves. The officials of the MCA are miffed at the sudden decision of the Indian Premier League's Governing Council to snatch away the final of the cash-rich Twenty20 league from Mumbai. They handed over their IPL accreditations to the organisers.

"We have handed over all our IPL accreditations. The office bearers of MCA, managing committee members and the volunteers connected with the tournament have done so as we are not happy that the final has been taken away without assigning proper reason," said Vinod Deshpande, media manager of MCA and its treasurer.

On Sunday in a decision that embarrassed MCA, IPL's GC got involved in a teleconference and decided to allot the final of IPL-7, scheduled on June 1, to Bangalore's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, taking it away from Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

The May 30 Qualifier 2, is, however, scheduled as per original decision at the Wankhede Stadium, which already hosted three home games of Mumbai Indians and are set to host two more on May 23 and 25.

The May 28 eliminator has been allotted to the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

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The BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel feels that it will be the prerogative of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to help in the organization of the remaining three IPL matches at the Wankhede Stadium after the grand finale was shifted to Bangalore.

"It's their wish as to whether they want to work or not. No one can force anyone to work," Patel said reacting to the reports that MCA officials have handed back their accreditation cards to the IPL governing council on protest for shifting the match to Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.

Patel said that the IPL governing council will discuss the matter with MCA.

"Look, MCA are our affiliated units. Obviously, all issues will be addressed. Like you are telling me that they have returned the accreditation cards but I have no knowledge about it. Today the BCCI headquarter was closed. In any case, it is a decision that has been taken by the members of the IPL governing council after a lot of deliberations," the secretary added.

Mumbai Indians have two home matches against Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals on May 23rd and 25th respectively. This apart, they are also supposed to host second qualifier on May 30th.

In case the local organizers (MCA officials) do not budge from their current stand, BCCI could face problems. However, Patel did not wish to divulge whether the matches can be shifted out of Mumbai or not.

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Chennai Super Kings' chief coach Stephen Fleming said the team has been left devastated by the IPL authorities' decision to shift the former champions' home games to Ranchi from their citadel -- the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk.

Chennai's matches were shifted after the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association failed to get the requisite NOCs to host the matches on May 18 and 22.

"We are very disappointed not to play in Chennai. I say this on behalf of the team, announce our disappointment that we can't go back. We enjoy amazing support all around India and around the world. But we were looking forward to giving back to the Chepauk (crowd). We were devastated as we were really looking forward to those games," Fleming said after last night's match against Mumbai Indians.

"Though Ranchi has been home away from home and we have played there beautifully, there was an element of returning back to the Chennai faithful. We won't be able to do that this year. We will carry that with us and hopefully put up a couple of good performances at Ranchi and move on. But as I said the team is sad not to be going back to our fan base," he added.

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Mushtaq Ahmed has turned down an offer to re-join the struggling Delhi Daredevils team for the remaining part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he is all set to become the spin consultant of the national team.

Mushtaq said that his agent had got an e-mail from the Delhi Daredevils head coach Gary Kirsten who wanted to know if he (Mushtaq) would be available for the remaining part of the IPL season. Mushtaq had worked with Daredevils during their equally disastrous last season.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't say yes to Gary because I am waiting to know whether the PCB will accept my application for the spin bowling consultant position. Also I really wanted to spend some quality time with my family which I have not been able to do for a while now due to my commitments with the England team," Mushtaq told PTI.

The leg-spinner also felt that it would be unfair to expect Gary Kirsten to turnaround things for Delhi in just one season.

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Umpire Sanjay Hazare has been removed by Indian Premier League committee apparently for a mistake he committed during an IPL match between Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals here on May 3. Hazare made a controversial call as he shot down a run-out appeal made by RR players against Daredevils skipper Pietersen without referring to third umpire, even though TV replays appeared to show that the Englishman was out of his crease.

IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal said Hazare, 53, will not be umpiring any more matches for the rest of the tournament.

"He has been removed. There are many reasons," Biswal was quoted as saying by a cricket website.

Hazare admitted to his blunder. "I told him (the match referee) the same thing. It was a human error. Once I had made the decision I could not correct it," he said.

Hazare, who has officiated in 17 IPL matches, later officiated as the third umpire when Mumbai Indians faced Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium on May 6, which has turned out to be his last game.