HCA not following Lodha panel recommendations says Azharuddin

Former India skipper Mohammed Azharuddin today (19) alleged that the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is not following the Lodha Committee recommendations and also indulged in other "irregularities and misuse".

Azharuddin, whose nomination was rejected for the post of HCA president in the elections held in January this year, said deserving players were "ignored" in the teams announced for the Moin-ud-Dowla cricket tournament to be held here.

"It is very unfortunate that both the teams of HCA participating in Moin-ud-Dowla have been announced, those players who have scored more than three centuries in two day leagues and those who have taken more than five wickets have been totally ignored," he alleged.

The HCA did not follow Lodha panel recommendations in the appointment of its selectors, he further alleged.

"According to the Lodha panel, selectors who played at least 25 first class matches should be appointed as selectors," Azharuddin told reporters here.

"The purpose of my press conference is to bring in (to) the notice of the Supreme Court, the misconduct and blatant disregard of the judgements of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee," he said.

"I urge all of you in the media, to bring to light the daring misconduct and the sorry state of affairs of Hyderabad Cricket Association and all sorts of misuse happening there," he added.

When contacted, HCA president G Vivekanand denied the allegations.

"The Committee of Administrators are there. They are looking into the implementation of the Lodha Committee reforms. The issue is sub-judice. If anything is there, he (Azharuddin) can go to the Supreme Court," Vivekanand said.