CHENNAI: Far away from the IPL and without much noise, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) is conducting its own T20 tournament featuring players from the state. Thirty-three matches and around 450 COVID-19 tests are being held over 18 days inside a bio-bubble at the sports hostel of the Rayalseema Development Trust (RDT) in Anantapur. After starting on October 22, the tournament named ACA T20 has gone ahead without major hassles and the final takes place on November 8.
Not mentioned among the elites of Indian cricket yet, Andhra has made rapid strides in infrastructure development in the last few years. Other than training centres in several districts, the association has about 10 grounds fit for first-class cricket in different places. The idea of organising the T20 event in collaboration with Twentieth Century Media was to give players a chance to play after months under lockdown. Successful conduct of it has prompted thoughts of something on a bigger scale next year.
"After restrictions were lifted and resumption guidelines were issued, we decided to have this tournament. It gives our players the scope to showcase their talent and serves as a selection trial of sorts for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (national T20 championship conducted by BCCI). We are happy with the way it has gone. There are thoughts of having a T20 tournament on a different scale next year," said ACA secretary V Durga Prasad.
With the exception of Hanuma Vihari, who is in the UAE with India's Test specialists preparing for the Australia tour, most prominent Andhra players including KS Bharat and Ricky Bhui are taking part in the tournament featuring six teams. Accommodation for 150 persons including players, officials, support staff and others in multiple residential blocks and provision of using two grounds inside the sports hostel complex made it easier for ACA to handle the bio-bubble part. Because everything was under one roof in the cricket section of the sports hostel maintained by RDT, there was no need for hotel rooms to create the bubble.
"We assembled in the bio-bubble on October 16. There were RT-PCR tests for everyone on October 17, 21 and November 1. The first set of tests showed five positive reports and the second eight. All 13 were shifted to a COVID-19 hospital nearby and sent home after they recovered. All reports in the third set are negative. There will be another round of tests, rapid this time, on November 7 after the semifinals. We want all concerned to leave the tournament with COVID-19 negative reports," said MS Siva Reddy, CEO of ACA.
He informed that before the tournament, a bio-bubble camp for the support staff featuring 23 individuals was held in Vizianagaram to get them ready for the environment. For a week, they were in quarantine. "We were planning for it for some time before deciding to go ahead. Because everything is inside one complex, the cost is low. We are just providing daily allowances and making travel arrangements at our cost."
Yet to make a huge impression as a team at the senior level, Andhra has left behind illustrious names in creating infrastructure. The T20 tournament is a feather in ACA's cap which might prompt other associations to take a leaf out of their book.