AFTER the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced its domestic calendar a few days ago, Vidarbha Cricket Association, (VCA) without wasting any time, has come up with its premier and popular Guzder League. The BCCI calendar starts with Women’s Under-19 One-Dayers and the first men’s tournament to be conducted will be Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (October 27-November 22). Keeping in sync with the national body, VCA has announced its Twenty20 League that gets under way on Monday. In the nine-team event for the shortest format of the sport, Medical Representative Cricket Club (MRCC) will take on Lipton Cricket Club in the opening match at VCA Civil Lines ground. The second match of the day will be played between Indian Gymkhana and Navniketan Cricket Club at the same venue. The first match will start at 9.00 am while the following match is scheduled at 1.30 pm. On first four days of the tournament, matches will be played at VCA Civil Lines ground only.

 

VCA Stadium Jamtha, is undergoing some minor repairs and renovation. Once the work gets completed, it will also hold two matches and then it will be four matches a day affair, it has been reliably learnt. VCA could not conduct the tournament last year due to the then prevailing pandemic situation as well as poor weather conditions. Before that, in 2019-20, All India Reporter (AIR) won the title defeating XI Star in the final. Strictly adhering to the COVID protocol, VCA has made it compulsory for all players to be vaccinated. Those who are not jabbed at least with the first dose, will not be eligible to take part in the tournament. The participating teams are as follows: Lipton CC, All India Reporter, Indian Gymkhana, Navniketan Cricket Club, XI Star, Ministerial Services Sports Club (MSSC), Reshimbag Gymkhana, MRCC and Advocate XI.