Karnataka State Cricket Association completes 75 years

Indian cricket is certainly facing many challenges right now, but in Karnataka, the state cricket association is in celebration mode. The KSCA, headed by spin bowler Anil Kumble, is marking its platinum jubilee.

So it is a time to look back at all the innings gone by - and there have indeed been some glorious ones. KSCA president Kumble is proud of the heritage of what was earlier called the Mysore Cricket Association.

"Mysore as the state was then known had the privilege of figuring in the first every Ranji Trophy match back in 1934 against Madras.

I look back at how we have reached this stage. I am filled with great pride and gratitude. Today we are in a position where sometimes we can afford to take things for granted. Things like infrastructure, a support group, turf pitches, lush green outfields, easy access to technology,counselling if one desires. Cricket is a professional sport today in India. But it is important to remember that we are where we are because of the vision, the sacrifices, the initiatives of a committed group of individuals who had very little to work with."

In the 1960s, the city's own Chinnaswamy Stadium was built - an arena that has seen some legendary matches.

The man some consider India's finest ever wicket keeper, former Indian and Karnataka player Syed Kirmani remembered some big occasion.

"We watched the first inaugural test match against the West Indies where Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge made their debut in this particular ground," he said.

An official mascot for the celebrations, Doodly, was unveiled.

But even in celebration mode - the talk did veer to match fixing allegations that have tarnished the image of cricket in India. Kumble poined out that corruption was unfortunately present everywhere in Indian society, not just in cricket. He told reporters, "The Central government is certaiinly taking cognizance of that and bringing in strict laws to enforce that. We can only put certain measures and make life difficult for people to get involved in match fixing. We can only put certain hurdles. But you can't put a surveillance on each individual 365 days 24 x 7. At best you can make it really tough for people to get involved. And people can be jailed, hopefully that is a deterrent.

There has been a lot of media frenzy about Mr Srinivasan - that is not the issue. The issue is to ensure that the whole of IPL,fixing itself, players involved in betting is something we need to address."

The celebrations will culminate on the 17th of August with a gathering of top names in the game from around the country. And the message from the association was perhaps meant for sports administrators who have no experience in the game itself - with a slogan - 'An association that is of the cricketers, for the cricketers, by the cricketers.'