Match referee says pitch was ‘very difficult to bat on’ in second Test between India and SA
09 January 2024 - 14:27
byStuart Hess
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Newlands was handed a one demerit point sanction for an 'unsatisfactory' pitch during the second Test between India and SA. Picture: GRANT PITCHER/GALLO IMAGES
The pitch for the second Test between India and SA at Newlands was rated as “unsatisfactory” and given a one demerit point sanction by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.
The surface, which played a major part in the match lasting only 107 overs and finishing within two days, making it the shortest in Test history, was slammed by players on both sides.
After a few days in which he considered opinions from the two captains, Dean Elgar and Rohit Sharma, ICC match referee Chris Broad announced his sanction, in which he said the pitch was “very difficult to bat on”.
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“The ball bounced quickly and sometimes alarmingly throughout the match, making it difficult to play shots. Several batters were hit on the gloves and many wickets also fell due to the awkward bounce,” said Broad.
SA, after choosing to bat, were bowled out for 55 inside the first session, while India also struggled, scoring only 153 in their first innings, which included the loss of their last six wickets in 11 balls for the addition of no runs.
“It's a sad state of affairs when you need more luck than skill to survive in a Test match,” Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad said.
“All the ethics and values of Test cricket go out the window and this was just a slugfest and ‘slogathon’.”
The one demerit point sanction is not as severe as the Wanderers received in 2018, when that surface was rated “poor” by the ICC after the third Test of a series, also against India, and was handed a three-point sanction.
If a venue accumulates six demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months, while a venue will be suspended from staging any international cricket for 24 months when it reaches the threshold of 12 demerit points.
Cricket SA has 14 days to appeal the sanction.
Newlands and Western Province Cricket received a R26m “bailout” from Cricket SA to help prepare the venue for the Test — one of the marquee events on the SA cricket calendar — and the SA20. Newlands hosts its first match in that competition next Tuesday.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Newlands pitch considered ‘unsatisfactory’ by ICC
Match referee says pitch was ‘very difficult to bat on’ in second Test between India and SA
The pitch for the second Test between India and SA at Newlands was rated as “unsatisfactory” and given a one demerit point sanction by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.
The surface, which played a major part in the match lasting only 107 overs and finishing within two days, making it the shortest in Test history, was slammed by players on both sides.
After a few days in which he considered opinions from the two captains, Dean Elgar and Rohit Sharma, ICC match referee Chris Broad announced his sanction, in which he said the pitch was “very difficult to bat on”.
“The ball bounced quickly and sometimes alarmingly throughout the match, making it difficult to play shots. Several batters were hit on the gloves and many wickets also fell due to the awkward bounce,” said Broad.
SA, after choosing to bat, were bowled out for 55 inside the first session, while India also struggled, scoring only 153 in their first innings, which included the loss of their last six wickets in 11 balls for the addition of no runs.
“It's a sad state of affairs when you need more luck than skill to survive in a Test match,” Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad said.
“All the ethics and values of Test cricket go out the window and this was just a slugfest and ‘slogathon’.”
The one demerit point sanction is not as severe as the Wanderers received in 2018, when that surface was rated “poor” by the ICC after the third Test of a series, also against India, and was handed a three-point sanction.
If a venue accumulates six demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months, while a venue will be suspended from staging any international cricket for 24 months when it reaches the threshold of 12 demerit points.
Cricket SA has 14 days to appeal the sanction.
Newlands and Western Province Cricket received a R26m “bailout” from Cricket SA to help prepare the venue for the Test — one of the marquee events on the SA cricket calendar — and the SA20. Newlands hosts its first match in that competition next Tuesday.
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