When the late S Sriraman became joint secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in the early sixties, he gave much of his time for one committee - the programmes and fixtures committee. Methodical in his approach, he helped draw up the many fixtures of the various competitions in exemplary fashion. After he took over as the secretary of the BCCI in 1965, he brought this same efficiency into drawing up the tour programmes for the Indian cricket team. Everything was conducted with clockwork precision and there was no need for any last minute changes.

Over the past few years however Board officials have shown scant respect to this very important aspect of cricket planning. This in turn has led to many unnecessary last minute changes of dates and venues, with the touring side sometimes making quite a noise about the alterations. Granted, schedules these days are more complicated than they were in Sriraman's time, what with the increase in domestic and international matches. All the same, there is no denying the fact that technology and communication facilities have vastly improved and there is no need to make frequent changes in schedules if there is a little planning and a methodical approach.

Perhaps the most publicised incident of poor planning in recent times was in October 1984 when there was just one day's gap between an ODI at Trivandrum and the next match at Jamshedpur during the short Australian tour of India to play a series of one day matches. It involved flying first from Trivandrum to Madras and then on to Calcutta, followed by a road journey to Jamshedpur. This constituted the height of optimism. Ultimately it required the manager of the Indian team and a couple of mediamen to sit up all night in Calcutta to undo the damage done by un-coordinated travel arrangements. The upshot was that the match started three hours late because the truck carrying the clothes and equipment of players of both sides arrived late.

Unfortunately the BCCI has not learnt from past mistakes and continues to approach this very important aspect in a haphazard manner which in turn has led to needless inconvenience for cricketers and misunderstanding with other cricket boards. The latest episode is now being played out with the Australian Cricket Board officials understandably upset by bungling by the BCCI, which has changed the schedule of the Australian visit to this country drawn up some six months ago to accommodate the limited-overs tri-series in Sharjah in the first week of April.

India agreed to take part in the Sharjah tournament from April 4 even though the Australian tour, according to the original schedule, was due to end only on April 6. Caught in a dilemma, what did the BCCI do? They took the easy way out by canceling a three-day match to ensure the tour ended by April 2. Under the revised schedule, the opening first class match was dropped, leaving the Australians with just one three-day game as a warm up before the first Test in Mumbai.

Predictably enough, the ill planned move drew loud protests from ACB officials. "After agreeing to the tour six months ago, the BCCI has changed it unilaterally," reports have quoted ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed as saying. "This is not acceptable to the Australian Board," Speed said, adding he was willing to fly to India this week to sort the problem.

According to ACB spokesman Brian Murgatroyd, India "forgot" about its participation in a Sharjah tournament when it drew up the itinerary for the Australian tour. "India double-booked themselves with the end of our tour coinciding with a Sharjah tournament," Murgatroyd said.

BCCI secretary JY Lele has said a final itinerary would be announced on January 22, three weeks before the Australians land on February 14. "There is no problem, everything will be sorted out," Lele said in a typical retort.

With the ACB officials clearly irked, a request went out to the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS), the organisers of the Sharjah tournament, featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to change the schedule. The CBFS, according to reports, have duly obliged and the matches at the off shore venue will now be played on April 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17 and 20. The changed schedule has necessitated back to back matches for India on April 12 and 13.

Australia are due to play three Tests and five ODI's during the Indian tour, besides two three day games.

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