The recent meeting of the ICC produced the usual array of inanities (such as Peter Chingoka reporting on the state of cricket in Zimbabwe) and the long overdue (like dumping the stupid supersub rule). But it also produced a new pitch-monitoring process for international cricket. This process, which has been adopted with immediate effect, includes sanctions ranging from a formal warning to a fine, or even suspension of international status for venues that produce substandard pitches. I guess this was always going to be on the cards given the influence Indian cricket has on the ICC and the sourness with which it greeted the loss to New Zealand on green seamers in 2002/2003.
The idea of a pitch-monitoring process is not a bad one, but I suspect it will be difficult to judge the merits of grounds as diverse as a Carisbrook green top, a WACA concrete block and a Faisalabad dust bowl. The logical way to judge grounds is by looking at the runs scored on them. But what if incompetent batting is the cause of low totals? Or incompetent bowling the reason for high ones? One thing is for sure though, it makes the future of international cricket in Hamilton look even bleaker.
Tuesday, 21 March 2006
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4 comments:
Dude...you gotta learn a 'bit' more about world cricket, or else stick to analyzing NZ cricket. Just a suggestion, since after all this is your space for expression.
That ICC law about pitch has as much (if not more) to do with the criticism that Mumbai pitch (Aussie test 2003 series) got unofficially and also from ICC, as it has to do with the Nz pitches. In fact, the analysts views on this particular ICC move give the Mumbai example, rather than Nz pitches.
Btw, about the Nz pitches...you think they were not fishy? Ask Wright, he's your man. And he's away from the Indian job. He would still have something to tell you about those pitches.
I think you have managed to highlight the concern with your comment. The ICC's attention to pitches should not be a worry for New Zealand, because New Zealand pitches, Hamilton aside, are generally of good quality.
However, they can be very fresh and are not easy to bat on - sometimes they can be very hard to bat on, such as it 2002/3. That's just the way they come in New Zealand, it is a wet and lush country.
But there is a perception that New Zealand pitches are 'fishy' because visiting teams find them hard to bat on. The concern is that the finger will get pointed at New Zealand, not because the pitches are bad, but because someone doesn't like them or has got suspicious.
ben: no my concern is not about Nz pitches...I don't think they are fishy all the time. Only the ones for that Indian tour were. It was general feeling amongst all in the know (and not blinded by bias), not just the Indians.
The players are not happy with some of the crap flowing out of the ICC
http://tinyurl.com/h98p9
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