THERE ARE new enemies at the Eden Gardens. Hours after former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya filed his nomination papers for the presidentship of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Friday, he faced an unexpected googly from former blue-eyed boy Sourav Ganguly.
In an e-mail sent to his elder brother Snehashish, Ganguly extended support to city police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee, who is contesting against incumbent chief Dalmiya in the CAB elections. That was not all. The message, released by Snehashish and Mukherjee at a press conference, suggested that Dalmiya had leaked coach Greg Chappell's controversial e-mail criticising Ganguly.
Ganguly wrote: "People who leak e-mails and sacrifice players' careers should be heavily punished. There are people in CAB who are playing with players' careers to suit them. They should not be allowed to go scot-free." The former India captain's knock comes from England where he is playing for Northamptonshire in the county championship.
Denying any role in leaking Chappell's e-mail, Dalmiya said he did not get it in the first place. "I can only say that Ganguly is a fine player. But if he has any grudge he may write to the CAB, which is an autonomous body," said Dalmiya at a press meet at Eden Gardens, the headquarters of CAB. Dalmiya's bite was not misssing: "I'm no longer in the BCCI. I've nothing to give. So I don't expect loyalty from him."
Chappell's e-mail had driven the last nail on Ganguly's captaincy. Is Ganguly planning something similar for Dalmiya's career - with another e-mail? With nine days left for the CAB elections, Ganguly's bouncer could tilt the match in Mukherjee's favour.
{{/usCountry}}Chappell's e-mail had driven the last nail on Ganguly's captaincy. Is Ganguly planning something similar for Dalmiya's career - with another e-mail? With nine days left for the CAB elections, Ganguly's bouncer could tilt the match in Mukherjee's favour.
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