The unfolding World Cup in England is proof of the stagnation of the game in a country which prided for long its founder status. The grounds on which the World Cup matches are being played look decidedly run down, with little or no addition made to their facilities from time immemorial. Lord's is the exception, particularly the new media centre. But the other grounds are relics of a bygone era. In fairness it must be stated that the facilities for the public, like more moving space, open spaces, toilets, refreshments and accessibility to tickets is more than in most Indian grounds.

But the 6,000 to 10,000 seater grounds have no cover from either rain or shine. All the romance woven around the English concept of watching cricket in `glorious summer' is just a sham. The ground authorities have simplybeen so measly they have not put up decent stands with proper covers in most places. Sitting in the third row on plastic chairs without any elevation and with a whole lot of paraphernalia like hats, umbrella, raincoat and the like to carry can be the most miserable experience for anybody but the British who have made a virtue of these primitive facilities.

Certainly one has seen far better facilities for the spectators even in Australia and New Zealand. But the English make such a song and dance of their appalling facilities that the naive have been conned into believing that cricket is meant to be viewed thus. Frankly, it is the subcontinent money that is running the game worldwide. Bids from television channels beaming to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have fattened the pockets of the organisers to such an extent that the ICC on the last occasion opted to spread the booty by rotating the hosting of the World Cup. Else the sub-continent would have outbid all other countries 10 times out of 10.

Even here,scores of spectators have landed up from India and packed the grounds. At Hove, a 20 Pound ticket was sold for an astronomical 400 Pounds. Scalpers, who advertise in the newspapers and in the yellow pages, state that these sums hold only for India games. Tickets for other matches are available for far lesser sums of money.

The overwhelming interest in the game in India, Pakistan and other countries in that region can be further gauged by the fact that television personalities Ian Chappell, Geoff Boycott, Tony Grieg and others spend close to six months in a year in the sub-continent and Sharjah. No other region, not even Australia, gives them as much employment. Considering these it is obvious that the only area where the sub-continent lags behind is in administration. Our administrators, living in a time warp where England and Australia called the shots, have been unable to reconcile to the fact that power now lies in their hands. Instead they have surrendered all the advantages enjoyed by thesub-continent.

Of course, NKP Salve and later Jagmohan Dalmiya along with their counter-parts from Pakistan and Sri Lanka have done tremendously by breaking out of the mould and ensuring that the sub-continent hosted the World Cup twice. But a lot more needs to be done.

For a start we must insist that India will play only at home between November and January. No more of obliging others and playing Test series at home during September, October or April. This way even domestic cricket will get a fillip as the stars will be available some time at least. This would also enable Indian teams to tour Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa or Zimbabwe between February and April, and England between May and September. Certainly there would be more order in our cricket. But for this the administrators should put their foot down and do some plain speaking to their `white' counterparts. The point however is, are any of the present lot capable of doing so?