Imphal, May 21: While the game of baseball may have its roots in the United States of America and its players commanding iconic status the same sports discipline on its maiden venture to the State has been literally stained in malpractice of corruption the same ailment Manipur had been besieged with.

For the first time, the sports crazy State of Manipur is hosting a national level competition in baseball with the 20th edition of the National Championship inaugurated at Mapal kangjeibung yesterday with alleged malpractices rearing its ugly head within 48 hours with organisers furnishing match reports of some teams that had not arrived for the competition at all.

As per match schedules prepared by the organisers and subsequently handed over to media persons yesterday, the second day today should feature six matches in the boys' section and four in the girls' competition.

However, match results initially conveyed to the media persons covering the championship today listed 15 matches for the boys and eight for the girls.

As the number of participating States during the opening ceremony and subsequent information provided by the organisers were far less than the number of matches played today, president of manipur Amateur Baseball Association was urged to provide details with regard to the 23 matches played today.

With the president responding that all the matches were played at mapal Kangjeibung where only two pitches have been prepared.

As the number of pitches and time factor for featuring all the 23 matches on a single day as was claimed by the official was impossible a lady official of the host team was further inquired of whether the scheduled match between manipur and Himachal Pradesh was actually played.

The lady official promptly informed that the match did not materialise even though organisers had handed out the match result between the two as Manipur winning at 16-4 .

Owing to the anomaly the media team's further insistence on where teams from Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttaranchal had been putting up also drew blank even as an individual claiming to be a Federation member approached and asked for the result sheets with an assurance that name of scorers would be added.

As enquiry after inquiry failed to yield either the desired result of firm and positive response from top officials of the hosts, a set of organising committee members resorted to multiple replacement of the result sheets leading to further confusion.

Even the matter was getting worse and embarrassing for the organisers president of MABA finally conceded that certain mistakes had been detected and the same would be rectified with due consultation of Federation officials and that the public would be notified accordingly.

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