CALCUTTA, May 2: Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to pay Kapil Dev, the recently appointed chief director of grounds and wickets, an honourarium of Rs 30,000 per month. While informing this, BCCI secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya announced that the Board has named five zonal directors who will assist the chief director in looking after the ground conditions.

The zonal directors are Arun Lal (east), G Kasturirangan (south), Daljit Singh (north), Vinod Mathur (central) and Dhiraj Prasanna (west). All the five will be paid Rs 15,000 per month each for their services.

Jeshwant benefit

BANGALORE: Former Karnataka captain K Jeswant will organise his benefit match in Hubli on June 4 in which most of the present and past Indian cricketers are likely to participate.

The match will be played between Karnataka XI and Rest of India XI. The match has been sponsored by the Karnataka financial services limited.

India-Pak tie

CHENNAI: Heavy security will be posted at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here for the day night cricket match between India and Pakistan for the Independence Cup Cricket championship on May 21.

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association secretary Ashok Kumbhat said he had requested posting of police bundobust at the stadium from Saturday with the date for the sale of tickets fast approaching. The Pakistan team will arrive here on May 14.

Practice match

CHANDIGARH: New Zealand will be playing a friendly match with a local team on May 7 before taking on Pakistan two days later in the inaugural match of the Pepsi Independence Cup four-nation limited overs cricket tournament.

National chess

PALAKKAD: The seventh National under-18 girls Chess Championship will be held at Chembai Memorial Music College from Saturday.

The eyes will be on International Women Master Nisha Mohota of West Bengal and recently-acquired WIM norm holder, Swati Ghate of Maharashtra. Other strong players participating are R Arathi (TN), Pallavi Shah (Maharashtra) and J E Kavitha (TN), Aswini Panpurkar (Maharashtra), Deepika and Lakshmi Priya (TN) and Swati Mohota (WB).

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.