Mumbai Cricket Association headed by Union minister Sharad Pawar has appealed to the Maharashtra government to help it organise matches without hindrance on holidays at open grounds like Azad, Oval and Cross Maidans and Shivaji Park in south and central Mumbai. MCA joint secretaries Nitin Dalal and PV Shetty, in a letter to home minister RR Patil, have sought police help on holidays to conduct the matches. They have contended that an unwritten understanding, that players and teams – other than those taking part in their tournaments – should vacate the grounds when MCA matches begin is being flouted of late by what they term as "tennis ball cricketers". The two officials complained to Patil that the amateur players often brandished knives, stumps and swords to threaten the MCA-accredited players and umpires and stop them from playing the matches during the time allotted for them. Copies of the letter have been sent to Pawar and Mumbai Police commissioner, among others.