HYDERABAD: When the India-New Zealand semifinal was deferred to Wednesday, officials at Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) may have probably been wondering: “Had this match been at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, that could have been avoided.” They’d have been right, for KSCA has at its disposal the best drainage infrastructure in place: SubAir subsurface aeration and a vacuum-powered drainage system. Even after two-and-a-half years of installation, the stadium remains the only in the world with this technology, one that is capable of draining water 36 times faster than usual methods.
Great Sports Infra, a Hyderabad-based company, has the worldwide license from SubAir (USA) to sell this technology to cricket grounds. The company had made a presentation of this technology to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) before the World Cup, but nothing could be finalised.
“When we approached ECB, we were directed to the pitch curators under the board. But we learnt that ECB alone cannot decide to install the system, as all county teams enjoy autonomy in these matters,” Great Sports Infra CEO Anil Kumar Suravaram Reddy said. It can be recalled that three games were washed out.
In a live demo last year at Chinnaswamy, the company had shown how quickly this technology drains water. Hundreds of gallons were pumped onto the field, and it took just minutes for the ground to completely dry out. An intricate network of pipes drains water from thousands of holes pierced on the field.
KSCA secretary Sudhakar Rao too was effusive about this technology’s efficacy. “We have saved at least three matches. In an IPL match last season, it rained heavily till the afternoon. As soon as rain stopped, the ground was ready for play in just 20 minutes. That is all it took.” So, what could be the reasons behind this not being taken up by more venues? Reddy says that money is not a problem for state associations.
The current cost of installation is `7 crore, and most associations receive a yearly grant of `35 crore. But he feels the lack of decision-making powers at the moment is a deterrent.“Money is not the issue. Once BCCI gets back on its feet after elections in September, state associations will start getting proper funds, and will have the authority to take decisions.”