Rain leaves CAB richer by Rs 8 crore!

Kolkata, Feb 8 (UNI) The rain did rob Eden Gardens of a lip-smaking series opener between India and Sri Lanka, but it left CAB richer by Rs 8.2 crore.

CAB president Prasun Mukherjee today anounced, ''Mr Sharad Pawar had come to see the match with his wife and as a gesture of goodwill during his first visit to the Eden after taking over as the president, he brought a cheque of Rs 8.2 crore for CAB.'' ''I had written to the BCCI seeking the grants that were being withheld and though I was unable to attend the working committee meeting, the letter was discussed and they roughly worked out Rs 8 crore as due,'' he said.

''Mr Pawar said as the due was a little over eight crore he decided to give the amount today and hoped to settle the rest soon,'' he said.

Mr Pawar, his wife Mrs Pratibha Pawar and Rajiv Shukla, BCCI Vice-President, came to the Eden Gardens to see the tie.

They returned disappointed not having been able to see the two team in full throttle.

Mr Mukjherjee further said there was no lapse on part of CAB in arranging the match, but the rain gods did not co-operate.

''Its disppointing after all the efforts one took for the last two weeks,'' he said.

UNI