Punjab first up for Karnataka

Ranji Elite league from November 1

The cricket season will commence with the BCCI Corporate Cup tournament involving 16 teams from September 1-8, while the Irani Cup match between last year’s Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and Rest of India will be held from October 2-5, according to the domestic calendar released by the BCCI on Wednesday.

The Ranji Trophy Elite leagues would be held from November 1-December 18, the quarterfinals from December 24-27, semifinals from January 3-6, 2011 and the final from January 11-15. The Duleep Trophy will be held from January 19 to February 6, while the Deodhar Trophy would be gone through from March 6-9 in North Zone centres.

Karnataka vs Punjab first

Champions Mumbai will commence their bid to clinch the Ranji Trophy for the 40th time at home against Saurashtra in the Group A Elite Division tie scheduled from November 1-4.

The 39-time winners have been grouped with Tamil Nadu, Railways, Delhi, Saurashtra, Bengal, Gujarat and Assam, while Group B comprises Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Baroda, Orissa, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Karnataka, runners-up last year, will open their campaign against Punjab in an away game from November 10-13. In Plate Division league, demoted Hyderabad have been placed in Group A along with Tripura, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Goa and Madhya Pradesh while Maharashtra, Andhra, Vidarbha, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Services are in Group B.

Groupings: Group A: Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Railways, Delhi, Saurashtra, Bengal, Gujarat, Assam.

Group B: Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Baroda, Orissa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh.

Karnataka’s matches:

Nov 10-13: Vs Punjab (away). Nov 17-20: Vs Haryana (away). Nov 24-27: Vs Orissa (home).

Dec 1-4: Vs HP (away). Dec 8-11: Vs Baroda (home). Dec 15-18: Vs UP (away). Dec 24-27: Quarterfinals. Jan 3-6: Semifinals. Jan 11-15: Final.