Local government keen to have Test at Kanpur

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government has said it would try hard to ensure that the third Test between India and Sri Lanka is not shifted from Kanpur.

RK Chaudhary, the state sports minister, said the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) will be responsible if the match was shifted from Kanpur. "We are ready to sort out the matter. It is sad that none of the UPCA officials have so far approached us. The UPCA will be responsible if the match is shifted from Kanpur."

The third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka was allotted to Kanpur (Dec 18-22) but UPCA officials said they could not host the match as the Green Park stadium had not been released to them by the state municipal corporation. The Indian board will decide on a new venue at a meeting in Mumbai on December 3.

When asked about the notice served on UPCA for recovery of dues by the government, Chaudhary said the association should have come to them after receiving the notice, "but it is talking through the media. The onus of holding the match is on the Indian Board, we, on our part are ready to give them the stadium and maintain law and order during the match."

Rajiv Shukla, former vice-president of the Indian Board, who was also present, said time was running out and "if we do not get any firm assurance by tomorrow evening the venue will be shifted elsewhere." He rubbished the claim of the government that it owed any payment to the UPCA, saying there was no talk of any dues in the last 57 years. He said he had taken up the matter with Chaudhary but he remained non-committal