SA vs IND 2018: ICC rates Wanderers pitch as 'poor'

India won the Wanderers Test by 63 runs.

IND vs SA | Getty Images

The International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee – Andy Pycroft, on Monday, rated the under fire Johannesburg pitch as ‘Poor’ which hosted the recently concluded third and the final Test of the Freedom Series between India and South Africa.

With the “poor” rate assessment by sport’s governing body; the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium will receive three 'demerit points,' and that will remain active for a five-year continuing period, by the ICC. The stadium is allowed to host international matches in future but at  the same time has enlisted its name in the "red zone."

Having said that,  if Wanderers receives two more demerit points for a poor pitch in the next five years then it could be suspended by ICC for 1 year.

However, Virat Kohli led Team India managed to prevent themselves from a whitewash in South Africa by winning final Test by 63 runs, but the Johannesburg pitch came under heavy criticism for being heavily assisting the bowlers due to big cracks and inconsistent bounce, and due to which the batsmen were in the firing line  from  the fast bowlers several times during the game.

 Cricket South Africa (CSA) can plea against it within two weeks of receiving the notification of 'demerit points.'

In 2015, the pitch for the third Test at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur was deemed 'poor' after the match finished inside three days on a raging turner. In this season there have been two venues which have received warnings by the ICC.

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 30 Jan, 2018

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