Balurghat will host for the first time a Ranji Trophy match which will be played between Bihar and Manipur for four days next month.

It is after almost 12 years that any match of the domestic cricket tourney will be held in north Bengal. It was in November and December 2007 that Bengal played against Punjab and Orissa at the Kanchenjungha Stadium in Siliguri.

The Cricket Association of Bengal has informed the District Sports and Games Association of South Dinajpur that takes care of the Balurghat stadium about the Bihar-Manipur match.

Avishek Dalmiya, the CAB secretary, said the match would be played from January 11 to 14 and asked the authorities concerned to get the ground ready.

CAB insiders said the selection of Balurghat as the venue of a Ranji Trophy match was an indication that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was keen on developing new centres for first class cricket and nurturing more talents.

“The BCCI’s decision to select Balurghat stadium as one of the centres for Ranji Trophy matches will definitely play a game changer in the promotion of cricket in north Bengal,” said Kuntal Goswami, the chairman of a five-member committee that organises cricket tourneys affiliated to the CAB.

Last year, matches of the Cooch Behar Trophy were held at Balurghat stadium.

“The matches held last year had kindled our hopes and we had approached the CAB to hold the same tourney again here this year. But our venue was not chosen and hence, we were a bit disappointed. However, the letter from the CAB has left us enthusiastic and we have already started preparations to ensure that the match is conducted here (Balurghat) smoothly,” said Amitava Ghosh, the secretary of the district sports and games association in South Dinajpur.

There will be no entry tickets for the Ranji Trophy match in Balurghat.

Additional reporting by Bireswar Banerjee in Siliguri