January 9, 2024

Newlands Pitch Receives ‘Unsatisfactory’ Rating from ICC – Cricket World Cup

Media release

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has deemed the pitch for the second Test of the ICC World Test Championship series between South Africa and India at Newlands in Cape Town as “unsatisfactory” under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process. ICC Match Referee Chris Broad submitted a report expressing concerns raised by match officials and consulted with captains Dean Elgar and Rohit Sharma, who agreed that the pitch was below standard. As a result, the venue has received one demerit point.

The ICC’s rating system assigns one demerit point to venues with an “unsatisfactory” rating. Suppose a venue accumulates six demerit points within five years. In that case, it will be suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months. Cricket South Africa has 14 days to appeal the sanction, an official called a “fair” assessment of the surface. The ICC aims to maintain high standards for pitch conditions to ensure a fair and balanced game for both teams.

Cricket South Africa has received the report and can appeal the sanction within a 14-day window. The governing body’s pitch and outfield monitoring process stipulates that an “unsatisfactory” rating incurs one demerit point. At the same time, a venue found “unfit” receives three points. These points remain active for a rolling five-year period. If a venue accumulates six demerit points, it faces a 12-month suspension from hosting international cricket matches.

Mr Broad said: “The pitch in Newlands 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.”

ICC Declares Newlands Pitch ‘Unsatisfactory’ Following Low-Scoring India-South Africa Test

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the “Cape Town pitch” as “unsatisfactory” following the shortest-ever Test match between South Africa and India. The historic game lasted just 107 overs, and India emerged victorious by seven wickets to level the two-match series.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the Cape Town pitch as “satisfactory” following the shortest-ever Test match between South Africa and India. The historic game lasted just 107 overs, and India emerged victorious by seven wickets to level the two-match series.

ICC Match Referee Chris Broad expressed concerns over the pitch quality and cited difficult batting conditions due to inconsistent bounce. As a result, the Newlands venue has been handed one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process. The ICC’s decision underscores its commitment to obtaining fair and balanced playing conditions in international cricket, ensuring an equal contest between bat and ball.

On Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially rated the Newlands pitch in Cape Town as “Unsatisfactory” after the low-scoring ICC World Test Champ on-ship clash between South Africa and India. This decision came from the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

The match at Newlands made history as the shortest-ever completed Test, with a mere 642 balls bowled in total. India’s Mohammed Siraj secured an impressive India-kittling South Africa for a mere 55 runs in their first innings. At the same time, India managed a 98-run lead after posting 153. Despite a brilliant counter-attacking century from Aiden Markram, India chased down a target of 79, winning by seven wickets on day two. ICC Match Referee Chris Broad’s report echoed the concerns about Match Broad’s ultimately leading to the “Unsatisfactory” rating for the Newlands pit”.

“The pitch in Newlands was very difficult to bat on,” Broad said. “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.”

Under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, venues are allocated demerit points when their pitches or outfields are rated substandard. In this case, the Newlands pitch received one demerit point for being deemed “Unsatisfactory.”

The accumulation of demer the points can lead to venue penalties. If a venue reaches six demerit points, it will be suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months. For 12 demerit points, the penalty is extended to 24 months. These points remain active for a rolling five-year period.

Cricket South Africa can appeal against this sanction within 14 days. The ICC’s monitoring process aims to maintain high-quality playing conditions in international cricket and ensure fair and balanced contests between teams.

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