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The departmental tournament has been retained in the new domestic cricket structure, commencing from Sept 1, with claims to bring it in line with the new devolution plan of the federal government, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Wednesday.

At the end of the last season the PCB had decided to abolish departmental cricket in an attempt to promote regional cricket. But once again departments will figure in the Patron's Trophy Grade-I and II competitions as well as in the national one-day tournament, which would also feature 18 association teams.

The vice-chairman of the PCB management committee, the former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim said that departmental cricket would be eliminated from the domestic cricket structure under a slow process when the new system gains ground.

Iqbal said that in all 456 matches would be played during the 2001-2002 domestic season involving 54 districts and various departmental teams. Twenty new districts which have the necessary cricket infrastructure, have been allotted playing rights. Last season 34 districts took part.

To provide a chance to prove his talent, a cricketer of that district which has not been allotted playing rights, would be allowed to report in the trials in the nearest available district, Iqbal said.

Following new districts are included in thedomestic structure with grouping with those not having playing rights: Pishin (Qila Abdullah and Qila Saifullah), Chagi (Awaran and Kharan), Zhob (Ziarat and Loralai), Jacobabad, Nawab Shah (Noshero Feroze), Shikarpur, Dadu, Thatta, Badin, Rajanpura (Layyah), Kasur, Vehari, Attock, Jehlum (Chakwal), Mianwali (Khushab and Bakkar), Jhang (Toba Tek Singh), Hafizabad (Narowal), Gujrat (Mandi Bahauddin), Khanewal (Lodhran), Abbotabad (Mansehra).

Iqbal Qasim said that in all eight different tournaments would be held in 2001-2002 cricket season. All the tournaments will carry prize money.

The season will start with the domestic season with under-19 Grade-I and Grade-II from Sept 1. Players born on or after Sept 1, 1982 will be eligible to take part in it. Twelve teams: Lahore Whites, Lahore Blues, Karachi Whites,Karachi Blues, Bahawalpur, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Kohat will take part in the Grade-I (One-day ties to be played with three- day matches).

The remaining districts will play in PCB under-19 Grade-II tournament in 2-day matches on group league basis in regional rounds. However, the semifinals and final will be played between the regional champions and duration will be of three days.

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-II: The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade- II tournament will be played from Oct 15 to Nov 14. It will be played on the same pattern with new districts as PCB under-19 Grade-II tournament with two-day matches. 3-day semifinals and final will be played between the regional champions.

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-I: The most prestigious Pakistan's domestic cricket tournament will be participated by 18 teams from associations namely, Lahore Whites, Lahore Blues, Karachi Whites, Karachi Blues, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Hyderabad, Sheikhupura and four Rest XI teams from the provinces. The teams divided into two groups and the leader of each group will play the final. The tournament is scheduled to be held from Jan 3 to Feb 22.

Rest XI teams of provinces: The outstanding performers of districts in Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-II in regional rounds have also been allowed to play first class cricket in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-I this season through their selection in Rest of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP-FATA-Azad Kashmir Eleven. These four "Rest XI" sides will be selected by the regional selection committees nominated by the PCB for each province.

The regional selection committees are as under:

Punjab: Masood Anwar (Khanewal), Arshad Pervaiz, Aamir Malik and Ashraf Ali.

Sindh: Brig (Retd Salahuddin and Anwar Khan).

NWFP: Farrukh Zaman and Jalil Nowshera).

Balochistan: Mansoor Akhtar, Abdur Raqeeb.

Patron's Trophy Grade-I. PakPWD and Sui Gas cricket teams, who were the finalists of last season's Patron's Trophy Grade-II, will play in the Grade-I tournament with other departmental teams National Bank, PIA, Habib Bank, Allied Bank, ADBP, Wapda, Pakistan Customs and KRL. The tournament will be held from Sept 21 to Nov 11.

In Grade-II five teams will take part included Army, PAF, UGC, PEB, Servis Industries. The tournament will be held from Jan 5 to Jan 23.

National One-day Tournament: There will be only one composite national one-day cricket tournament to be held from March 2 to March 31. Eighteen teams of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Grade-I and 10 teams of Patron's Trophy Grade-I will take part in it.

Cash incentives: Iqbal Qasim said that in order to give incentives to the participating teams and outstanding cricketers in the domestic tournaments a number of attractive cash awards and win bonuses amounting to Rs 1.0 million approximately will be given away next season.

Details of cash prizes:

Under-19 Grade-I One-day tournament (winners Rs 20,000 and Runners-up Rs 10,000 plus trophy). Man-of-the-match: Rs 5000.

Under-19 Grade-I (three-day game): Winners: Rs 40,000. Runner-up: Rs 20,000.

Under-19 Grade-II (Regional championship): Winners Rs 10,000.

Under-19 National Championship Winners Rs 20,000 and Runners-up Rs 10,000.

Quaid-i-Azam Cricket Trophy Grade-I. Winners Rs 100,000 and Runners-up Rs 50,000. Man-of-the-Match: Rs 10,000.

Quaid-i-Azam Grade-II: Winners Rs 15,000. Runners-up: Not decided.

Patron Trophy Grade-I: Winners Rs 100,000 and Runners-up Rs 50,000. Man-of-the-match: Rs 10,000 each.

Patron's Trophy Grade-II: Winners Rs 10,000.Runners-up: Not decided.

One-day tournament: Winners Rs 100,000 and Runners-up Rs 50,000. Man- of-the-Match Rs 10,000. For semi-finalists: Rs 25,000 each.

Besides, cash prizes of Rs 2,000 will also be given to the best wicket-keeper, best batsman, best bowler and best fielder of all the tournaments.

© Dawn