NEW INTERNATIONAL STADIUM CONFIRMED TO COME IN ERNAKULAM (COCHIN)

Now it is all confirmed that the New International Stadium will come up in kochi which will be owned by Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). It was confirmed by KCA Secretary T.C Mathew. KCA decided to have a stadium of its own as a part of BCCI decision not to conduct cricket matches after 2010 in those states which do not have stadium of its own. At present only Kerala, Tripura and Goa don't have a stadium of its own.

The stadium will be functional by 2010, after which Kochi will be a test venue;and it will be a dream come true for Kerala.

Earlier BCCI had decided to give Rs.25 crores as grant to construct stadium. But now the grant have been raised to Rs.50 crores considering the skyrocketing of prices in Kochi and its suburbs.
KCA can use up to Rs 25 crores to buy land. A land area of 40 acres is planned for the stadium so that the seating capacity can be up to 50,000. The stadium will have other most modern facilities like the Cricket Clubs and other recreational facilities matching with other international stadias abroad.

Earlier the cricket stadium was planned to build in Wayanad district. Then the plan was changed to build stadium in Thiruvananthapuram either in Kazhakuttam or in Kudapanakunnu considering Trivandrum's history of hosting international matches in 1980's in the University stadium.

University stadium was a regular venue for Ranji Trophy matches from 1953 onwards. The stadium which was constructed in 1952 was considered as the domestic ground of Kerala Cricket. By the end of 80’s cricket was shifted to other grounds. Now Fort Maidan in Palakkad is a regular venue for first class matches.

At some point of time it was thought that Kochi will lose the race for the stadium also to Trivandrum, like Kochi lost railway division in 1992 under political pressure to Trivandrum; Trivandrum Central was chosen over Cochin Harbour Terminus for the railway division under the political game, even when Trivandrum was much smaller station than the Cochin Harbour Terminus from where the most of the trains used to start. Now Cochin Harbour Terminus(picture shown) is a nostalgic event in the minds of keralites as here now only Goods Carriers arrive due to the presence of Cochin Port.

But considering the fact that Kochi has the best chance to attract Cricket due to past success had probably lead KCA to have their stadium in Ernakulam District.

A Glimpse of Cricketing History in Kerala:

Lord Arthur Wellesley is believed to have introduced this game in Kerala in the 18th century for the British Soldiers in the Tellichery Fort. It is recorded in the history that the first Cricket Club was formed in 1860 at Tellichery, which was later renamed as Town Cricket Club. During 1950s Foot ball took over the minds of north Keralites and cricket became an active game in Thiruvananthapuram and Thripoonithura. In Thripoonithura the royal family patronized the game very actively and formed a club - The Thripoonithura Cricket club in 1935. The Club started organizing a Cricket tournament as part of the Navarathri festival (Pooja festival, as it is locally known). The tournament continues un-interruptedly even on these days and still it is conducted during the Pooja holidays. It is popularly known as the Pooja Cricket Tournament and arguably one of the best organized all India tournaments in Kerala. They are probably the only Cricket Club in Kerala having their own stadium and turf Pitch. K V Kelappan Thampuran was the livewire behind the great achievements of TCC.


The International Matches held in Trivandrum(stadium shown here):

Two Matches held-
1) India vs Australia on Oct 1, 1984 - No Result
2) India vs west Indies 0n Jan 25,1988 - WI won by 9 wickets.

International Cricket Matches held in Kochi:

1) April 1, 1998 - India v/s Australia
2) March 3, 2000 - India v/s South Africa
3) March 13, 2002 - India v/s Zimbabwe, India lost
4) April 2, 2005 - India v/s Pakistan
5) April 6, 2006 - India v/s England
6) October 2, 2007 - India v/s Australia, India lost

Some Facts on Kochi Stadium:

Highest attendance for Match: India vs Iran football match of One Lakh!
Highest Money Grosser was : India vs Pakistan on April 2005.
An attendance of 85,000 reported in the last match held versus Australia in 2007.

Kochi Stadium is the Forth largest stadium in India:

1) Salt lake stadium, Kolkata - 120,000.
2) Eden Gardens, Kolkata - 120,000.
3) Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, New Delhi - 100,000.
4) Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Kochi - 60,000.
5) Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore - 55,000.

KOCHI STADIUM IS THE THIRD LARGEST CRICKET STADIUM IN INDIA(from the above list, Salt lake is not a cricketing venue). (link)
(also this link)

Tit Bits:

As a matter of fact Kochi stadium is 157th largest stadium in the world and the chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore is 200th largest. (see the link)



The Maharaja's stadium in Ernakulam is the only stadium with synthetic track in Kerala. Although the stadium in Trivandrum was the first synthetic track stadium, it has been damaged now due to poor maintenance and it is not 8 lane as that of Kochi.

The KCA is on a hunt to get appropriate land of its own in Kochi for setting up a stadium.
Kochi is again proving that it is not only the Commercial, Industrial, Tourism and Trade capital of kerala but also the Cricket Capital of Kerala.(link)

Along with the major projects happening in Kochi, this stadium will also boost the importance of kochi.


In Him

SHENOY!!
Dec 29,2007
1230 hrs.