Gaddafi Stadium receives ICC demerit point for unsatisfactory pitch

Lord’s pitch also received ICC demerit point after unsatisfactory rating.

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the pitches at Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium as “unsatisfactory” and awarded one demerit point to each venue.

According to the ICC, match referees raised concerns over the pitches used for the England-New Zealand Test at Lord’s and the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia at Gaddafi Stadium.

Lord’s Test match referee Andy Pycroft reported that excessive seam movement and unpredictable bounce affected the balance between bat and ball throughout the match.

Meanwhile, match referee Graeme Labrooy said the Gaddafi Stadium pitch was slow and offered low bounce, making run-scoring difficult.

He noted that the surface did not meet the expected standards for ODI cricket and provided assistance to spinners from the early stages of the game.

The ICC has forwarded its reports to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), giving both boards 14 days to lodge an appeal.

Neither Lord’s nor Gaddafi Stadium had any previous demerit points on their records.

Under ICC regulations, an unsatisfactory pitch receives one demerit point, while an unfit pitch is handed three demerit points.

A venue accumulating six demerit points can be suspended from hosting international cricket for one year, while 12 demerit points can result in a two-year suspension.