3 times a cricket match made headlines for an unsafe pitch ft. BBL 2023-24
Pitches are often the focal point of the contest, as they often dictate in which direction the match will proceed. A lot of thought goes into preparing a cricket pitch, and while it comes off well most of the time, it often makes the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Just as cricket was recovering from a couple of pitch controversies to close out the 2023 ODI World Cup, it has been hit by more questionable claims surrounding it. New Zealand captain Tim Southee was highly critical of the pitch in Dhaka used for the second Test against Bangladesh.
The contest finished in four days despite the game losing almost five sessions due to rain. Only 635 runs were scored across four innings while 36 wickets fell in the contest.
To make matters worse, the fourth match in the 2023-24 season of the Big Bash League (BBL) between the Melbourne Renegades and the Perth Scorchers was abandoned due to poor pitch conditions.
On that note, let us take a look at three times a cricket match made headlines for an unsafe pitch.
#1 Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers (2023-24 BBL; Simonds Stadium, Geelong)
As mentioned earlier, the clash between the Renegades and the Scorchers was marred because of a poor pitch in Geelong. There was rain before the contest, and the damp patch and the divots on the surface appeared after water apparently seeped through.
The match did begin along expected lines, with the Scorchers making a couple of early breakthroughs. However, right after the powerplay, the pitch started showing extremely inconsistent bounce, which was deemed unsafe to continue. The play was stopped at 30-2 after 6.5 overs, and the match was subsequently abandoned after the umpires held discussions with the match officials.
Cricket Australia (CA) was far from pleased with the proceedings and has officially announced that it will be launching a review into the incident.
Both teams were awarded one point each after the contest was called off, and the match might still be rescheduled at some point later in the campaign.
#2 India vs Sri Lanka (5th ODI, 2009; Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi)
India and Sri Lanka competed in a five-match ODI series in 2009, and the sides headed into the final contest, which was essentially a dead-rubber clash, with the hosts a 3-1 lead.
The Men in Blue won the toss and elected to field first. They struck right away as Zaheer Khan dismissed Upul Tharanga for a duck off the first ball of the innings.
The pitch was in no shape to stage a full-fledged international contest, and the scorecard reflected the same. Sri Lanka were reduced to 83-5 in the 24th over before the decision to call off the match was made.
The pitch showed extremely uneven bounce, with deliveries hitting the ankle to the shoulder from unlikely areas of the strip. Both captains, the umpires, match officials as well and the Delhi and District Cricket Association felt that the most logical course of action would be to leave the game as it is.
The surface drew criticism from several former players and the BCCI also proceeded to dissolve the ground and pitches committee.
#3 England vs West Indies (1st Test, 1998; Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica)
The Sabina Park in Jamaica is notorious for its extreme nature, and while it has died down in recent years, it has delivered enough menacing memories for a lifetime.
The venue was assigned to host the first Test between England and West Indies in 1998. However, only a total of 10.1 overs was conducted before the match was called off altogether.
England, after opting to bat first, endured a hellish time on the dangerous pitch against the likes of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose. The visitors were reduced to 17-3 and were hit several times on their bodies due to the erratic bounce in the surface.
To make up for the abandoned clash, an additional Test was arranged in Port of Spain. West Indies ended up winning the series by a 3-1 margin.
What measures should the curators and the ICC take to ensure sporting pitches all over the globe? Let us know what you think.