By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president does not consider the pitch for the first Test against Austrlia at Galle was dangerous as none was injured during the match.
SLC chief Upali Dharmadasa said Wednesday his board would conduct an inquiry over the pitch next week and submit a report to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The ICC termed the Galle pitch “poor” after both teams found it difficult to score runs and the five-day Test ended with well over a day to spare.
Dharmadasa told Xinhua that the ICC had asked SLC to submit a report on its findings within 14 days after which the ruling body would take a decision on the pitch.
“Right now, the Test series is on and after that is over the board will conduct its own inquiries and submit a report to the ICC,” Dharmadasa said.
Sri Lanka Cricket authorities could face formal sanctions if the ICC is not satisfied by their explanation and the board could even be subjected to a hefty fine besides being asked to take “corrective action.”
ICC’s general manager-cricket David Richardson and ICC’s chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle will consider all the evidence, including the video footage of the match and submissions by the Sri Lanka Cricket before arriving at a decision, the ICC said in a statement.
Galle is lashed by frequent rains and the outfield is a lush green, but the pitch prepared for the Test was rated “too dry.”
Even Sri Lankan captain Tillkaratne Dilshan expressed surprise at the pitch.
The Test, which Australia won by 125 runs, saw 40 wickets fall in a little over three days, 16 of them on the second day.
Dharmadasa refused to accept any criticism of the pitch, citing that 800 runs were scored in the match with Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene scoring 105 and Australia’s Mike Hussey failing to get a hundred by five runs.
Dharmadasa attributed Sri Lanka’s failure to their poor batting in the first innings, getting bowled out for a paltry 105 on the opening day.
Sri Lankan daily Island quoted the world’s record wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan as saying that the wicket should have been better-prepared.
“It was like everything depended on the toss,” said Muralitharan, adding that the pitch should have given advantage to the side batting first.
The second Test of the three-match series starts in Pallekele Thursday.