Will BCCI object to ‘terror’ pitch?

The Feroz Shah Kotla pitch, one may recall, was termed ‘dangerous’ during an India-Sri Lanka ODI in 2009. Now one gets to hear of a ‘terror’ pitch.

The English media has called the pitch at Edgbaston a terror pitch after two batsmen retired hurt and one batsman, Vikram Solanki, was seriously injured and taken to hospital during a four-day match recently. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has sought explanation from Warwickshire county, which was also docked eight points for laying a horrible surface for their match against Worcestershire. The Indian team is scheduled to play a Test at the venue in August.

Interestingly enough, the ECB’s showcause to the county comes at a time when a two-member recce committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is inspecting the facilities in England for Team India’s July-September tour. India are scheduled to play four Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international during the two-month stay. Edgbaston will host the third Test from August 10 to 14.

On Monday, the committee members, Ratnakar Shetty and Suru Naik, were in Edgbaston. It was not known if they have inspected the ground and the pitch. However, one of them did confirm to DNA that they were in Birmingham on Monday afternoon. They could not be contacted for details.

When contacted, a BCCI official said the recce tour is a usual practice, which is followed by every board. “We’ve sent a couple of members to do the usual inspection on security arrangements and logistics,” he said. He would not, however, comment on whether the committee will scrutinise the pitches. The preparation of pitches, anyway, is the home board’s discretion.

There was further criticism for the pitch. Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes slammed it saying it was unfit for first-class cricket. His side had got 218-run thrashing on the wicket from Warwickshire.

“…my view would have been different. I would have voted it as unfit. If you ask the question ‘is that fit for first-class cricket’ I would say no,” Rhodes wrote in a recent blog. It is said that Edgbaston has had renovation work done recently and the pitch may have been affected by the work.

Edgbaston could bethe only concern for the |recce committee members. The Lord’s, the Oval and Trent Bridge, the venues for other three Tests, should not be any problem for the Indian side. The ODIs are at Chester-le-Street, the Rose Bowl, Kennington Oval, Lord’s and Cardiff. The T20 international will be played at Old Trafford.