The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ‘Pitches excellent’

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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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‘Pitches excellent’

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: Finally the curators and ground staff of the nine DLF-IPL venues have got their due — lavish praise from Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Chairman of the Cricket Committee of the IPL.

Daljit Singh, Convenor, Cricket Committee, IPL, while conveying Pataudi’s encouraging words to the eight centres (matches at Mumbai have been played at the Wankhede and D.Y. Patil Stadium), has urged the curators and ground staff to rise to the occasion in the remaining part of the IPL.

Apart from heaping praise, Daljit also politely cautioned the authorities to adhere to norms on the rotation of pitches for matches, usage of maximum playing area adhering to the boundary line distance norm, and on matters relating to restrictions on practice on the main square, dew, weather, fixed screens, fogging and also to keep a watch on weather forecast.

Applause

Daljit applauded the labour put in by the authorities and termed the quality of pitches as “excellent,” but pointed out there was an exception in the pitch prepared for the match between Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers at the Eden Gardens saying it was “not really conducive for a Twenty20 match.” However, he also acknowledged the Cricket Association of Bengal’s drive to prepare quality and good pitches for the subsequent matches at the Eden Gardens. Daljit informed the IPL centres that though things have gone well so far in hot conditions, we (IPL) do realise that sterner tests lie ahead.

“The ground and pitches are going to come under tremendous pressure in the increasing heat and continual use.

“We are sure that with good turf management skills and by following the recommendations of the two-day curator seminar at Mohali on March 11 and 12, we would be able to rise to the challenge and complete the IPL championship on quality pitches and grounds.”

Daljit, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Ground and Pitches Committee, has asked the authorities to earmark three pitches on the centre square and rotate them for matches, following reports from observers that some centres have repeated three matches on the same pitch.

“If the same pitch is repeatedly used in quick succession, the wear and tear is bound to affect its quality.”

While the decision is left to the host association to select the best strip for every match, it is suggested that rotation of pitches will certainly help as we come into the second half of the championship.”

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