DUBAI – The Cape Town pitch where India beat South Africa in five sessions of a Test match last week has been given one demerit point after it was rated as “unsatisfactory”, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.
The contest at Newlands lasted 642 balls and India recorded a series-tying victory in the shortest Test in which there was a winner, beating Australia’s 656-ball victory over South Africa in 1932.
South Africa captain Dean Elgar, who was playing his farewell match, and Indian counterpart Rohit Sharma both felt the pitch was sub-standard and many would feel the venue got away with a fairly light penalty.
“The pitch at Newlands was very difficult to bat on,” match referee Chris Broad said in an ICC statement.
“The ball bounced quickly and sometimes alarmingly throughout the match, making it difficult to make shots.
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“A few batsmen were hit into the gloves and many wickets also fell due to a nasty bounce.
South Africa, who elected to bat, were bundled out for 55 in their first innings with spinners not used at all by either side.
Hosts Cricket South Africa have 14 days to appeal the sanction.
Under ICC rules, an “unsatisfactory” rating carries one negative point, three points are awarded if the venue is found to be “unsuitable” by the governing body’s field and pitch monitoring process.
These points will remain active for a rolling five-year period.
If a venue accumulates six demerit points during this period, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months.
