Kanpur pitch: ICC writes letter to BCCI

Mumbai:

After Match Referee Roshan Mahanama gave a thumbs-down to the Kanpur dustbowl where India tamed South Africa within three days, the International Cricket Council has shot off a letter to the BCCI seeking an explanation.

Mahanama was less than impressed after the third and final Test in Kanpur's Green Park Stadium ended inside three days with the hosts cantering to an eight-wicket win that also helped them level the three-match series.

Yawning cracks and uneven bounce made life difficult for the batsmen on the track, prompting Mahanama to submit an unflattering report to the ICC.

Reacting to Mahanama's report, ICC sent a letter to the BCCI, seeking an explanation.

"A letter has been sent to the BCCI. Match Referee Roshan Mahanama initiated the process and ICC sent a letter to the BCCI after getting his report. We are awaiting a reply," ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said here on Wednesday.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty, however, sought to downplay the event and refused to call it a notice from the ICC.

"It's a normal process where the Match Referee submits a pitch report to the ICC at the end of the match, a copy of which is also given to the Board", he said.

"This is not the first time that a match ended in three days. Definitely there were suggestions for some corrective measures but I don't think it was a notice to the BCCI," Shetty said.

Though BCCI officials sought to downplay the letter and said it was a routine affair, Mahanama's observation has initiated a standard process, which requires the BCCI to reply within 14 days.

After a match, the Match Referee has to give his assessment of the track and if he finds it unfit or sub-standard, ICC takes note of that and seeks an explanation from the host Board.

If BCCI's explanation fails to convince the ICC, the governing body can even ban Kanpur from hosting international matches, which is the extreme punishment.