Itinerary for Aussies' tour approved

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday approved the itinerary for the Australian tour of India, with Bombay, Madras and Calcutta being allotted the three Tests of the series.

Following the an International Cricket Council's clearance of the cricket stadium at Indore and assurance from the Goa Cricket Association that it will get a football ground ready on time for the one-day international, the two cities were awarded a match each in the five-match one-day series, board president A C Muthiah said after the working committee meeting in Delhi.

The Nehru stadium in Indore was declared 'unfit' to host matches two years ago when the pitch produced an awkward bounce in an India-Sri Lanka one-dayer, while the stadium in Goa, which is actually a football venue, will be hosting the National Football League matches.

The itinerary:

February 15: Arrival in Bombay
February 17-19: 1st three-day match vs Ranji champions Mumbai, at Baroda
February 22-24: 2nd three-day match against India 'A' at CCI, Bombay.
February 27 to March 3: 1st Test in Bombay.
March 6 to 8: 3rd three-day match against Board President's XI in Delhi.
March 11 to 15: 2nd Test in Madras.
March 18 to 22: 3rd Test in Calcutta.
March 25: 1st One-dayer in Bangalore.
March 28: 2nd One-dayer in Pune.
March 31: 3rd One-dayer in Indore.
April 3: 4th One-dayer in Visakhapatnam.
April 6: 5th One-dayer in Goa.

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Mail Cricket Editor