GUWAHATI, March 23 � The 50-strong group of sports scribes who are attending the 36th convention of Sports Journalists Federation of India today visited the Barsapra cricket stadium here and were very much impressed by the facilities of the stadium and were unanimous of the fact that the venue is one of the best in India.
Built by the Assam Cricket Association, the Barsapra stadium will be exclusively used for cricket and boosts some of the most modern facilities.
The delegates, converging from all across the country, heaped praises on the ACA for undertaking to built such a stadium against all odds. Accompanying the sports journalist was ACA secretary Bikash Baruah and officials of ACA.
The scribes said that the stadium will be big encouragement for the cricketers of the State and hoped that the stadium will one day host a Test match. Assam have over the years yearned for a stadium exclusively for cricket which is now played at the Nehru Stadium in the RG Baruah Complex. The field basically belongs to the Board of Sports of Assam and cricket suffered as more than one sports was played in the Nehru Stadium complex.
The visiting journalists were in awe about the lush green outfield of the 60,000- capacity stadium.
Rahul Dixit of Nagpur said even though they have produced Test cricketers, they don�t have such a beautiful stadium in their place. Sharad Deep of Uttar Pradesh revealed that their State has produced so many international cricketers but they are yet to set up a exclusive cricket stadium which has world class facilities. Sabyasachi Sarkar of Ananda Bazar Patrika advised ACA to start an academy for youngsters so that the State can produce international cricketers.
The under construction giant stadium is taking a beautiful shape with a lush green outfield. While the north stand of the stadium already completed, work of the south stand will be completed within a couple of months.