India vs Srilanka | 5th ODI | Delhi | 27/12/09

[*sallu*]

What a crap pitch
Commentators are even saying its too dangerous to play on.

Uneven bounce

Sanath and Dilshan have been hit many times. Credit to Jayasuriya for sticking it out though

 

[Random Aussie]

3/59.

I was totally shocked to see a spicy pitch served up AFTER India have clinched the series. Couldn't predict that happening in a million years.

How looks Tyagi?

 

[*sallu*]

3/59.

I was totally shocked to see a spicy pitch served up AFTER India have clinched the series. Couldn't predict that happening in a million years.

How looks Tyagi?

Everyone is looking dangerous on that pitch

Yousuf and Younis would form a potent new ball pair the way the ball is misbehaving

 

[kingusama92]

Extremely dangerous pitch to go along with hazy conditions.

We have seen opposite extremes in this series when it comes to pitches.

First four ODIs were flat decks.. and today it's a dangerous pitch. What about a normal pitch once in a while?

 

[*sallu*]

Jayasuriya out LBW to Harbhajan

Hes just played out the fast bowlers and must be hitting his head on a pillar getting out to the spinner

 

[tdigi]

This is a newly laid pitch and clearly under prepared. Match likely to be called off. Bad pitch. Too much uneven bounce.

 

[azfar wali]

From cricinfo:

11.20 The umpires meet to discuss the condition of the pitch. Too many deliveries have nearly knocked the batsman's' head off. I will say it again, its a poor pitch to play on. Sangakkara storms out and has words with Dhoni and the umpires. He does not look pleased. On replays, I see that the second that last ball spat up off a length Sangakkara and Jayawardene, sitting on the sidelines, waved at the batsmen. Now the match referee walks out. This is big. The pitch has been bad since the start, and it took this ball to draw a reaction. What about when Dilshan was hit? Dhoni is having a lot to say as well. Plenty of chat.

 

[tdigi]

This is a shame really. Crowd howling....

 

[azfar wali]

The game has been called off.

 

[itduzz]

no wonder chokedulkar chickened out of this match...... ) ) )

 

[Random Aussie]

Gee what a surprise they call it off AFTER the Sri Lankan top order have batted on the minefield. Bit too dangerous for the best batting side in the world eh?

 

[kingusama92]

I feel bad for the crowd that actually showed up for this dead rubber.

Although the correct decision was made. The conditions are horrid out there. Even Indian pacers were nailing the batsman every other over ).

 

[tdigi]

Expect a article from Sambit Bal on a travesty of a pitch..... )

 

[tdigi]

I feel bad for the crowd that actually showed up for this dead rubber.

Someone in the crowd showing "I want my money back" banner.

 

[tdigi]

3/59.

I was totally shocked to see a spicy pitch served up AFTER India have clinched the series. Couldn't predict that happening in a million years.

How looks Tyagi?

Try something better. It was decided way before hand to try this pitch. It's a newly laid track...under prepared showing clear lapse of judgment from the curator.

 

[Random Aussie]

Try something better. It was decided way before hand to try this pitch. It's a newly laid track...under prepared showing clear lapse of judgment from the curator.

Nope. As I said no surprises in how this played out.

 

[Khabri420]

Poor stuff from the curator

 

[tdigi]

Nope. As I said nobody will find it surprising such a wicket was rolled out for a dead rubber and nobody will be surprised the match was called off after the SL top order got to bat on and before the Indians did.

Same old India.....

I love your preconceived notions. Keep it up.

 

[Random Aussie]

I love your preconceived notions. Keep it up.

I shall.

And like I said, no surprise the Indian top order took a look at SL batting on minefield and said we not batting on that.

 

[jusarrived]

I shall.

And like I said, no surprise the Indian top order took a look at SL batting on minefield and said we not batting on that.

its Sanga and his batsmen who backed out .

quote for cricinfo

Sangakkara storms out and has words with Dhoni and the umpires. He does not look pleased.

 

[kamranO]

According to news channel NDTV, the teams and suppport staff have left the stadium.

 

[kingusama92]

According to news channel NDTV, the teams and suppport staff have left the stadium.

I think by that they mean... they left the playing field.

 

[Khabri420]

Match has been abandoned.

Daljit Singh (the curator) needs to be forced to bat on this surface

 

[Looney]

match has been abandoned

 

[AZ]

Incredible India...even after winning the series, their ol' habit of producing pitches unfit for cricket does not go away

 

[ahmadjan75]

Play suspended because of dangerous pitch IND VS SL 5th odi

It was surprising it took them 23.3 overs to call off play. On a Kotla pitch where the bounce varied from shin to shoulder in as short a spell as consecutive deliveries, Sri Lanka had reason to be thankful for they got away with just two hits on the body that needed attention. At around 11.20am, one length delivery from debutant Sudeep Tyagi reared up from a length to almost clear MS Dhoni behind the stumps, and the players had had enough by then.

Full of action, the first 23.3 overs featured a wicket first ball; a dropped catch first ball of second over; blows on the elbow, shoulder, fingers; frenzied running; thick edges flying past third man; and wickets for Zaheer Khan, Tyagi and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni, coming back from a two-match ban, was stupendous behind the wickets, getting his legs together for the shooters and reacting well to the lifters. Not one bye was conceded.

 

[Romali_rotti]

I shall.

And like I said, no surprise the Indian top order took a look at SL batting on minefield and said we not batting on that.

Nice try it was Sangakarra that started the crying to stop the match after his batsmen were once again found to be incompetant in India... I guess you cant really blame Sanga you can only take so much a** whooping before it drives you mentally insane...

 

[sali]

This was Indian version of bowlers friendly wkt. All other tracks are 700+ tracks

 

[Romali_rotti]

It was surprising it took them 23.3 overs to call off play. On a Kotla pitch where the bounce varied from shin to shoulder in as short a spell as consecutive deliveries, Sri Lanka had reason to be thankful for they got away with just two hits on the body that needed attention. At around 11.20am, one length delivery from debutant Sudeep Tyagi reared up from a length to almost clear MS Dhoni behind the stumps, and the players had had enough by then.

Full of action, the first 23.3 overs featured a wicket first ball; a dropped catch first ball of second over; blows on the elbow, shoulder, fingers; frenzied running; thick edges flying past third man; and wickets for Zaheer Khan, Tyagi and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni, coming back from a two-match ban, was stupendous behind the wickets, getting his legs together for the shooters and reacting well to the lifters. Not one bye was conceded.

This wicket still wouldnt have half the bounce & pace of Waca of the 80's or early 90's....

 

[Extreme Pace]

This wicket still wouldnt have half the bounce & pace of Waca of the 80's or early 90's....

Strange reply??? The problem is variable bounce, not consistent high bounce.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Strange reply??? The problem is variable bounce, not consistent high bounce.

Nah not really these guys chickening out cause they got hit a few times ? Hell I have seen Allan Donald bruise the living daylights of Artherton & Co in SA and they never cried for abandonment...Doesnt matter I just feel Sri Lankans just cant take any more beating from India reason why Sanga started crying to abandon the match....

 

[shane]

The ground was packed and, as you can imagine, a packed ground of Indians do not want to hear that the game was being cancelled. It was just not safe to play and it should never have taken 23.3 overs for them to realise this. I wonder what would have happened had this been the deciding match in the series!

 

[90MPH]

From Cricinfo:

11.20 The umpires meet to discuss the condition of the pitch. Too many deliveries have nearly knocked the batsman's' head off. I will say it again, its a poor pitch to play on. Sangakkara storms out and has words with Dhoni and the umpires. He does not look pleased. On replays, I see that the second that last ball spat up off a length Sangakkara and Jayawardene, sitting on the sidelines, waved at the batsmen. Now the match referee walks out. This is big. The pitch has been bad since the start, and it took this ball to draw a reaction. What about when Dilshan was hit? Dhoni is having a lot to say as well. Plenty of ch

 

[Big Harvey]

Nah not really these guys chickening out cause they got hit a few times ? Hell I have seen Allan Donald bruise the living daylights of Artherton & Co in SA and they never cried for abandonment...Doesnt matter I just feel Sri Lankans just cant take any more beating from India reason why Sanga started crying to abandon the match....

Nobody was suggesting the pitches in SA at the time you mention were unfit or unsafe. Meanwhile, during the same era, there was a Test match involving England at Sabina Park, Jamaica that was abandoned for this very reason.

http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63783.html

It must have taken a great deal of courage for the umpires to call off this match, given that the Feroz Kotla was filled to capacity. That probably explains why it took so long for the decision to be made. I'm sure that as well as not wanting to upset the fans, they also had one eye on their main employer, the BCCI. My understanding is that the ground now gets a mandatory minimum 12 month suspension from international cricket, then supposedly has to face a rigorous ICC inspection before it's passed fit again. The Feroz Kotla is scheduled to be hosting World Cup matches in 2011, so that means a bit of uncertainty for fans of the countries concerned who are planning to go to India for that.

This is very bad news, because I suspect it'll now mean yet more Indian groundsmen preparing boring, flat tracks. You don't get fined or suspended for doing that, but in my opinion it's time that changed.

Is it really so difficult for an organisation as wealthy as the BCCI to ensure that their venues produce fit pitches that provide a sensible contest between bat and ball?

 

[Romali_rotti]

BH why did they take 23 overs with 5 wickets down to call it off ? Why couldnt they have done it 5 overs into the game like the previous Sri Lanka/India ODI which was called off years ago with only 3 overs bowled.. I am not buying it, I think if the score was 1/80 odd after 23 overs there would have been no problems...

 

[kkmix]

the pitch was bad, batsmen got hit 5 times, dilshan twice, jayasuriya twice, and Kandamby once, it was actually a dangerous pitch.

 

[sali]

That was Indian version of bowler friendly pitch.

They shuld have played with tape tennis ball.

 

[161]

Isn't this the same ground where we got the crappy pitches in the Champions Trophy ?

I think the ICC should force Indian venues to use drop in pitches prepared outside the country.

 

[Sufian84]

the big question is:

will sambit bal call it travesty?

 

[Extreme Pace]

Nah not really these guys chickening out cause they got hit a few times ? Hell I have seen Allan Donald bruise the living daylights of Artherton & Co in SA and they never cried for abandonment...Doesnt matter I just feel Sri Lankans just cant take any more beating from India reason why Sanga started crying to abandon the match....

What are you talking about ? The umpires were the ones who came together to decide whether they should abandon or not, yes Sanga's whining probably was a contributing factor but that pitch was just crazy and any decent umpire would have called off the match even earlier.

 

[tdigi]

the big question is:

will sambit bal call it travesty?

Forget that...some heads will roll. The curator is going to get a serious flak.

 

[AZ]

Tdigi, I'm waiting for one of your epic pics on this issue

 

[Big Harvey]

BH why did they take 23 overs with 5 wickets down to call it off ? Why couldnt they have done it 5 overs into the game like the previous Sri Lanka/India ODI which was called off years ago with only 3 overs bowled.. I am not buying it, I think if the score was 1/80 odd after 23 overs there would have been no problems...

Like I said, the umpires will have been conscious of not wanting to upset either the large crowd or their BCCI paymasters. Maybe the Sri Lankan players also felt themselves under the same pressure to just get on with it and not complain, given that the BCCI nowadays practically owns Sri Lankan cricket.

The Cricinfo commentator had openly identified the pitch as being dangerous after less than 10 overs:

"9.2 Nehra to Dilshan, no run, he's hurt! The ball rears up from just back of a length and smacks Dilshan on the left arm, and despite wearing an arm guard he immediately reacts in pain, throwing the bat away toward square leg and dropping to his knees ... this pitch is a bad one, and something should now be said by the players .. that one jagged up off a patch and surprised him totally, he wasn't in position to play it and took it flush on the left forearm ... we will have a delay in play ... drinks come on for the players ... Nehra talks to Dilshan ... big huddle near the stumps as Dilshan gets treated

Well, the Sri Lankans seem content to continue playing. None of the on-air commentators have spoken about the nature of his track yet. Surprising. It isn't safe at the moment."

Meanwhile, even the BCCI themselves seem to be accepting the fact that there was a serious problem with the Delhi pitch. They have disbanded their ground and pitches committee.

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvsl2009/content/current/story/441389.html

 

[Random Aussie]

Nice try it was Sangakarra that started the crying to stop the match after his batsmen were once again found to be incompetant in India... I guess you cant really blame Sanga you can only take so much a** whooping before it drives you mentally insane...

Oh well, there's always tomorrow

On a side note, Sri Lanka have been exposed as utter pretenders on this tour. They are, as usual, no good away from home.

 

[WithLoveFromCanada]

This was Indian version of bowlers friendly wkt. All other tracks are 700+ tracks

)

 

[singh]

This was Indian version of bowlers friendly wkt. All other tracks are 700+ tracks

)

 

[Amir]

Oh well, there's always tomorrow

On a side note, Sri Lanka have been exposed as utter pretenders on this tour. They are, as usual, no good away from home.

I wish India would have batted first, would have loved to see them jumping up and down and getting hit. We could have made a day of it I would come over, bring some popcorn, you invite your family and we all enjoy some good India bashing (verbally and physically!)

 

[tdigi]

^ LOL...I don't think RA has such a perverse mentality... or does he? .

 

[Saj]

from the ICC :-

ICC statement on New Delhi ODI

Emirates Elite Panel Match Referee Alan Hurst today issued the following statement after the fifth and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi was abandoned on Sunday.

“The decision to abandon the match was taken by myself, in consultation with the on-field umpires Marais Erasmus and Shavir Tarapore, and both captains as it was clear that the pitch had extremely variable bounce and was too dangerous for further play.

“I’d like to commend the on-field umpires and captains for continuing as long as they did in the hope that the pitch may settle down. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

“Before abandoning the match, consideration was given to shifting the match to a secondary pitch. However, it was deemed impractical as the secondary pitch was not adequately prepared.”

The match was called off with Sri Lanka 83-5 in 23.3 overs after being put into bat by the home side.

 

[Easa]

^ LOL...I don't think RA has such a perverse mentality... or does he? .

Don't know about RA, but I sure do.

Sri Lanka should have called in reinforcements. A hint of Shaun Tait on this pitch to the Indian top order wouldn't go amiss. And maybe a touch of Mitchell Johnson to complete their misery.

 

[tdigi]

Don't know about RA, but I sure do.

Sri Lanka should have called in reinforcements. A hint of Shaun Tait on this pitch to the Indian top order wouldn't go amiss. And maybe a touch of Mitchell Johnson to complete their misery.

Am I the only one here who does not think like that. I mean wanting to see some team players get seriously hurt and enjoying it with popcorn? Interesting indeed.

 

[Easa]

Am I the only one here who does not think like that. I mean wanting to see some team players get seriously hurt and enjoying it with popcorn? Interesting indeed.

Not a big fan of popcorn, actually.

But a huge fan of the rest of it.

 

[tdigi]

Not a big fan of popcorn, actually.

But a huge fan of the rest of it.

So you must love to get into fist fights too...

 

[moumotta]

I wish India would have batted first, would have loved to see them jumping up and down and getting hit. We could have made a day of it I would come over, bring some popcorn, you invite your family and we all enjoy some good India bashing (verbally and physically!)

Right now he is busy enjoying some good old fashioned Pakistan bashing with more to come tomorrow.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Right now he is busy enjoying some good old fashioned Pakistan bashing with more to come tomorrow.

True but dont remind him, let him sleep in peace till then...

 

[tdigi]

Tdigi, I'm waiting for one of your epic pics on this issue

I don't know what to do. Can't seem to find a suitable pic to modify and make it funny.