Four years on, Baroda senior team still waiting on prize money from BCCI

It has been four years since Baroda reached the Plate Group final of the Women's Senior Inter-State One-Day tournament where they lost to Madhya Pradesh in a hard fought encounter. However, the team is yet to receive their prize money from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), for its achievement in the 2015-16 season, The Times of India reported on Saturday (August 8).

Many of the players who were part of that squad are no longer playing, and have received little clarity from the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA). "The BCCI announced Rs 10,000 prize money per player for the finalists in that tournament. We were told that the prize money will be given once the BCCI sends it to the BCA. We have been waiting since four seasons, but the prize money hasn't been given to us," a senior player told Times of India.

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Meanwhile, BCA Secretary Ajit Lele said the players had not been given their prize money since the state association hasn't yet received it from the BCCI. "The prize money is to come from the BCCI but it hasn't arrived yet," Lele said. "We are expecting to get the money within a month following which we will give it to the women cricketers."

Lele added that the Lodha committee reforms meant payments were not released by the board on time and that was the cause for the delay.

Another senior player admitted that the delay had resulted in a drop in morale among the players.

"It is not just about the money," she said. "The team performed well and it expected the association to recognise its efforts. But such undue delays in giving the prize money effects the morale of the players, especially when the association spends substantial money on improving cricketing standards."

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