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The Punjab capital needs a sufficient number of grounds to stage first-class cricket. This situation, interestingly, has been prevailing in a city which happens to be the seat of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Lahore, having the a population of about 6.5 millions, is mainly relying on the only ground of Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) where first-class matches are being held, though it also requires improved facilities.

The other grounds available for first class cricket belong to Lahore Gymkhana, Bagh-i-Jinnah and the Railways Stadium. But the charges for hiring the Lahore Gymkhana are so high that no team can afford it.

The Lahore Gymkhana authorities charge Rs 7,000 per day excluding Sundays. The Railways Stadium has basic facilities for first class matches, but the PCB is not using it for reasons best known to them.

The Grade-II matches of the domestic cricket are being played at the Model Town Greens and the Punjab University Old Campus grounds where improvised tented baths and pavilions are made available for the players.

Compared with other cities which are smaller in size as that of the Punjab capital, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Faisalabad, have developed good infrastructure, but Lahore is facing a dearth in this vital area of the game.

Strangely, the numbers of the domestic cricket matches at Lahore are decreasing every season due to poor non-availability of grounds. During the 2000-2001 cricket season around 400 matches were played in the national junior grade-I and II, Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Grade-I and II, Patron's Trophy Grade-I and II, national one-day tournaments which were held separately for departments and associations. But Lahore, due to lack of grounds got only 29 matches included 22 first class and seven Grade-II.

The financially sound departments affiliated with the Pakistan Cricket Board like National Bank, Allied Bank and Habib Bank have so far failed to have their own grounds in Lahore. Interestingly, the ABL's Ramiz Hasan Raja is holding a key post in the PCB as member of the advisory council but the bank has no ground yet.

To eliminate the dearth of grounds in the city, short and long term planning is necessary. As a short term planning, those grounds should be renovated where first class matches have been played in the past. In long term planning, new grounds should be laid especially in the newly developed areas.

The grounds where the first-class matches have been held are the D.S Workshop ground and the Railways Stadium. The PCB should also urge the Lahore Gymkhana authorities to make their venue available for first- class matches at cheaper rates as a national cause.

© Dawn