Concerns over cricket field and hotels at Asian Games, cricket on baseball field

The Asian Games are approaching. Asia's top cricket teams have almost completed their preparations. However, before they can take to the field, the organizers face several challenges. Questions have been raised about the cricket venue, wickets, dressing rooms and even the accommodation of the players.

This time, Asian Games cricket is being held in Nisshin, east of Nagoya, Japan. The matches will be held at the Korogi Sports Park. A few months ago, the venue was a baseball field. Although it was prepared for cricket last March, the participating teams are not completely comfortable with the venue.

The Indian Express reported that a hybrid pitch will be used here. Although most of the wicket is made of natural grass, a small amount of polyethylene fiber has been used in it. Since the pitch is new, there is also uncertainty about its behavior. Cricket was played there for the first time last May.

Asian Games Operations Manager Adam Beers also said that there is a possibility of getting extra bounce from the wicket. In addition, the typhoon season that begins in Japan in September may also affect the conditions on the field.

Concerns are not limited to the wicket alone. There are also questions about the venue's dressing rooms. According to a report by the Indian Express, the field does not have adequate quality dressing rooms. The capacity of the spectators is also about 2,000. Some parts of the old structure of the baseball field still remain, and even the pitcher's mound has not been removed.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was the first to raise objections to these limitations of the venue. The issue was raised at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting about two weeks ago. Representatives of member countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan also discussed it. After that, the ACC decided to send a representative to see the venue and the players' accommodation conditions on the spot.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also been shaken by the issue. They have contacted the Indian Olympic Association and the Asian Games organizing committee. However, an Indian Olympic Association official said that they have no direct role in the technical aspects of cricket. Due to this, the BCCI has been asked to contact the organizing committee.

Accommodation for cricketers has become a bigger problem outside the field. There will be no traditional Athletes' Village in this year's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. About 15,000 participants will be accommodated in cruise lines, games villas and various hotels.

Along with cricketers, shuttlers, footballers and softball players have been accommodated in various hotels in Nagoya. But there have also been objections to the size of some of the rooms there. It is learnt that in some rooms it may be difficult to keep two players along with their kit bags and luggage.

An Asian Olympic Council official acknowledged the seriousness of the problem. According to him, the rooms are so small that there is not much space left for a player to stand when he opens his kit bag. He also said that efforts are being made to find a solution to the issue.

If everything goes well, the boys' cricket event will start on September 24 and will continue till October 1. India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will start directly from the knockout stage. In the first round, four teams from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Oman will make it to the main stage.

The women's cricket event, however, will start earlier - on September 17. In the quarterfinals, India will play Japan, Bangladesh will face China, Sri Lanka will fight Malaysia and Pakistan will face Thailand. The women's competition will end on September 22.

While the presence of big Asian teams is expected to make for a lively cricket competition, it remains to be seen how much impact the issues related to the field and accommodation will ultimately have.