Choosing a diplomatic middle path in its attempt to resolve the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch-fracas fallout, the International Cricket
Council (ICC) has decided to retain Delhi as a venue for the 2011 World Cup, in spite of the cancellation of the India-Sri Lanka One-dayer on Dec 27 due to unplayable conditions.
There will be no fines or penalties imposed on the venue and the world body seems to have gone along with its president David Morgan’s view that Delhi was too important to be blacklisted ahead of a World Cup. The ICC, though, has seconded match referee Alan Hurst’s report that the pitch under consideration was clearly ‘unfit’ and subsequently there has been an agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and ICC that the Kotla will not host any international games until the end of Dec 2010.
Hurst’s opinion remains the sole sticking point in the entire affair as the BCCI is likely to challenge his report on the premise that the match referee did not consult on-field umpires before rejecting the adjacent pitch offered as an alternative by Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials, as reported earlier by TOI.
BCCI, though, has no issues with not hosting an international game for the said period at the venue. Sources also suggested that Indian Premier League (IPL) matches would be staged as planned at the Kotla.
The venue, has, in effect, managed to evade serious sanction and the ruling is being interpreted as a ‘victory’ of sorts for the BCCI, since the cleverly-worded statement issued by the ICC on Thursday clearly refrains from using the term ‘ban’.
A BCCI source said, ‘‘We had put in a request to the ICC that as there were no matches scheduled to be held at the Kotla for a one-year period, the venue would get ample time to prepare decent pitches for the World Cup. Therefore, the submission was that there should be no ban or penalties.’’
The ICC statement put the ball in BCCI’s court, saying, ‘‘The ICC confirms that no international cricket will be played at the New Delhi ground until the end of Dec 2010. As part of its investigation, the ICC received a submission from the BCCI assuring it that no international match is scheduled and therefore no international match will be played at the ground until the end of 2010. Keeping this in mind, the ICC has decided to endorse this action on the part of BCCI as part of its concluding report.’’
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/World-Cup-respite-for-Kotla-but-no-ties-till-Dec-2010/articleshow/5486027.cms
Council (ICC) has decided to retain Delhi as a venue for the 2011 World Cup, in spite of the cancellation of the India-Sri Lanka One-dayer on Dec 27 due to unplayable conditions.
There will be no fines or penalties imposed on the venue and the world body seems to have gone along with its president David Morgan’s view that Delhi was too important to be blacklisted ahead of a World Cup. The ICC, though, has seconded match referee Alan Hurst’s report that the pitch under consideration was clearly ‘unfit’ and subsequently there has been an agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and ICC that the Kotla will not host any international games until the end of Dec 2010.
Hurst’s opinion remains the sole sticking point in the entire affair as the BCCI is likely to challenge his report on the premise that the match referee did not consult on-field umpires before rejecting the adjacent pitch offered as an alternative by Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials, as reported earlier by TOI.
BCCI, though, has no issues with not hosting an international game for the said period at the venue. Sources also suggested that Indian Premier League (IPL) matches would be staged as planned at the Kotla.
The venue, has, in effect, managed to evade serious sanction and the ruling is being interpreted as a ‘victory’ of sorts for the BCCI, since the cleverly-worded statement issued by the ICC on Thursday clearly refrains from using the term ‘ban’.
A BCCI source said, ‘‘We had put in a request to the ICC that as there were no matches scheduled to be held at the Kotla for a one-year period, the venue would get ample time to prepare decent pitches for the World Cup. Therefore, the submission was that there should be no ban or penalties.’’
The ICC statement put the ball in BCCI’s court, saying, ‘‘The ICC confirms that no international cricket will be played at the New Delhi ground until the end of Dec 2010. As part of its investigation, the ICC received a submission from the BCCI assuring it that no international match is scheduled and therefore no international match will be played at the ground until the end of 2010. Keeping this in mind, the ICC has decided to endorse this action on the part of BCCI as part of its concluding report.’’
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/World-Cup-respite-for-Kotla-but-no-ties-till-Dec-2010/articleshow/5486027.cms
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