KOLKATA: The world record holder for leading his country in the most number of Test matches (108), former South African captain Graeme Smith will be delivering a lecture at the second edition of the prestigious Jagmohan Dalmiya Annual Conclave organized by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on 2 November this year, Press Trust of India reports.
The event is a build up to the silver jubilee celebrations of the 1993 CAB Jubilee Tournament called the Hero Cup. Besides the event remembering the late Dalmiya, who was widely regarded as one of the finest cricket administrators in the world in his era, the CAB will also celebrate 25 years of installation of floodlights at the Eden Gardens. The first day-night match played here was the Hero Cup semifinal between India and South Africa on 24 November 1993.
In 2017, it was the 1983 World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev who was the main speaker, which was attended by the Indian men’s cricket team. It remains to be seen if it does so this time as well, with the first T20I against the West Indies on 4 November taking place at the Eden Gardens.
Former West Indies captain Brian Lara is also expected to attend the event along with other ex-players from the same country.
“We plan to see whether we can get former West Indies players. Lara is here. We will try and get something organised,” CAB President Sourav Ganguly was quoted as saying to PTI.
“1993 was the first day-night match at Eden Gardens, it’s exactly 25 years. And India played West Indies also. So we will try to get something.
“We have it annually. Last year it was Kapil Dev and this time Smith has confirmed.” he signed off.
