Odishatv Bureau
Chennai: Around 160 domestic and international cricketers who have retired before 2003-04 will be awarded cash bonanza as part of the BCCI`s one-time benefit scheme from the IPL surplus money, a gesture which would cost the Board a whopping Rs 70 crores.

"From the surplus of IPL, BCCI will make a one-time benefit payment to cricketers who have retired before 2003-04 in recognition of their services to Indian Cricket, in both International and Domestic levels," the Board said in a release after the Working Committee meeting here. "Around 160 cricketers are eligible for this payment. The total payment is approximately Rs 70 crores," it said.

Cricketers who have played more than 100 Test matches will get Rs 1.5 Crore while those who have played between 75 and 99 Tests will receive Rs one crore. Those who have played between 50 and 74 Tests will get Rs 75 lakhs while those between 25 and 49 Tests will receive Rs 60 lakhs. Cricketers who have played between 10 and 24 Tests will be handed Rs 50 lakhs while those between one and nine Test matches and who have played their last international match before 1970 will get Rs 35 lakhs.

Cricketers who have played 100 and more first class matches will get Rs 30 lakhs while those who have played between 75 and 99 matches will receive Rs 25 lakhs. The one-dayers played by the cricketers will be added with three ODIs being counted as one Test match. But for this, the cricketer will have to play at least one Test. "Three ODIs would be calculated as one Test match," BCCI President N Srinivasan told reporters after the Working Committee Meeting.

He said if a player has played 40 Tests and 60 ODIs, it will be counted as 60 Test matches. Asked if a player who has not played any Test match but has featured in 150 ODIs would be considered to have played in 50 Test matches, Srinivasan said, "No. He should have played at least one Test match."

The Working Committee also approved the nomination of Srinivasan as the next president of the Asian Cricket Council as per rotation. The Working Committee also ratified the grant of media rights to Star India Pvt. Ltd. for the next six years of 2012 to 2018. In other decisions, the Working Committee approved the setting up of an Anti-Corruption Unit arm of the BCCI, the start of a Curator`s Certification Course, with the first batch commencing in July 2012.

"We have decided to set up an anti-corruption unit and will also have very strict anti-corruption code. This will be an autonomous unit. It will be set up on the lines of the anti-corruption unit of the ICC and it would be set up by Mr Sawani who was till recently heading the ICC`s unit. We have also have approved the budget," Srinivasan said.

A Special Committee will look into the suggestions made by the Technical Committee, captain and coaches and will make final recommendations to the Board pertaining to the improvement of domestic cricket. "This Special Committee, to be headed by the Secretary of the BCCI, will look into the suggestions and give the recommendations to take domestic cricket forward," the BCCI chief said.

The Working Committee also approved a limited number of friendly matches -- upto three -- to be played by IPL teams with Associate and Affiliate countries of the ICC, between June and August, subject to guidelines to be framed by BCCI. "They can`t play with other IPL teams. They can`t play against teams from members of the ICC, but they can play against association affiliates during July to August," he said.

scrollToTop