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'Poor' Nagpur pitch under ICC scrutiny

ICC match referee Jeff Crowe has handed down his verdict following the third Test between India and South Africa

The pitch for the Nagpur Test between India and South Africa has come under International Cricket Council scrutiny after it was rated 'poor' by the match referee.

Jeff Crowe, the referee who officiated the Nagpur Test, submitted his report to the ICC, who have now forwarded it to the Board of Cricket for Control in India. The Indian board now has 14 days to give its response to the ICC.

Following the BCCI's response, the ICC will decide on whether or not the surface was poor and if a penalty needs to be applied. 

If the pitch is deemed 'poor', the BCCI can be issued a warning and/or "a fine not exceeding $US15,000 (imposed), with a directive for appropriate corrective action".

"After the BCCI has submitted its response, ICC’s General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC’s Chief Match Referee, Ranjan Madugalle, will consider all the evidence, including studying video footage of the match, before reaching their decision on whether or not the pitch was poor and if so, whether a penalty should be imposed," an ICC media release said.

According to ICC's process, the match referee is expected to complete a 'Pitch and Outfield Report Form' and send it across to the ICC’s General Manager – Cricket, who is in this particular case, is Allardice. 

Among other things, the referee has to assess the pitch's bounce, seam and turn, and rate the pitch on a scale ranging from Unfit to Very Good. 

The ICC's 'Pitch Monitoring Process' rule-book suggests, if any of the following criteria apply, a pitch may be rated “poor”:

a. The pitch offers excessive seam movement at any stage of the match

b. The pitch displays excessive unevenness of bounce for any bowler at any stage of the match

c. The pitch offers excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match

d. The pitch displays little or no seam movement or turn at any stage in the match together with no significant bounce or carry, thereby depriving the bowlers of a fair contest between bat and ball

That same manual also clarifies the meaning of 'excessive'.

a. Excessive means “too much”.

b. It is recognised that a limited amount of seam movement is acceptable early in the match and that a pitch may develop some unevenness of bounce for seam bowlers as the match progresses. This is acceptable, but should not develop to a point where they would be described as “excessive”.

c. There is nothing wrong with a pitch that affords some degree of turn on the first day of a match though anything more than occasional unevenness of bounce at this stage of the match is not acceptable. It is to be expected that a pitch will turn steadily more as a match progresses, and it is recognised that a greater degree of unevenness of bounce may develop.

d. It is impossible to quantify the amount that a ball is “allowed” to turn as bowlers will turn the ball differing amounts. The type and identity of bowler shall be taken into account when assessing this factor.

e. In no circumstances should the pitch "explode‟

India batted first in the Nagpur Test and scored 215 before bowling South Africa out for 79. They put up 179 in the second innings before bowling the visitors out for 185 to clinch the match and the series.

The nature of the pitches have dominated headlines during the ongoing series. There haven't been too many press conferences without at least a question around the surfaces on offer, and while South Africa have refused to be critical about them, there has been enough to suggest apart from the scoreline, they haven't enjoyed themselves.

When asked to comment about the Nagpur pitch at the end of the Test, South African captain Hashim Amla held back from criticising the conditions.

"It’s difficult for me to comment, to be honest with you, especially being on the losing side, so I will have to try and reserve my comments if that’s okay with you," he said. 

A day earlier, South African coach Russell Domingo was speaking along similar lines.

"If you’re winning the series, it is easy to criticise the pitch, but when you’re behind in the series, it is difficult to criticise the pitch. If that makes sense," Domingo said.

Even cricketers, both current and former, from other countries had their say about the surface, with both Glenn Maxwell and Michael Vaughan terming it 'diabolical' on Twitter.

However, Indian team director Ravi Shastri defended the Nagpur pitch and said he hoped a similar wicket was produced for the Delhi Test, the fourth of the series.

"Nothing wrong with it," Shastri told ESPNCricinfo. "I would hope the one in Delhi is absolutely the same. I have no qualms about it.

"Nothing wrong with matches finishing inside three days. It was a Test match that was moving all the time.

"You compare this Test to the Test match in Perth, I would pay money for a ticket for this game. 

"To hell with the five days. You go and sit for the last two days there."