NAKED EYE
Jaisurya takes evasive action against a Zaheer snorter which climbsfrom a good length on the fourth ball of the third over.
Dilshan doubles up in pain after he is poleaxed by a Zaheer lifterwhich catches thebatter in his chest on the second ball of the 10th over. It is an ugly sight.
Sudeep Tyagi flier on the final ball of the 12th over has Jaisuryaunsure of the climbing delivery.
These are a few instances of the inconsistent bounce on the Kotlawicket. There are many others where the ball practically shoots along theground, inconveniencing the wicket keeper Dhoni behind the stumps.
Delhi hasn't played a single Ranji game on its home ground the Kotlabecause it is unsure of the wicket and the tricks that it could play.They play at Roshanara or Palam grounds instead.
Unseasonal rain in the capital has impacted pitch preparation, butlong serving curator Radhey Shyam has been replaced by a powerful DDCAmember Vijay Bahadhur Mishra who is a manufacturer of kit bags. Forthe record he along with other members of the pitch and groundcommittee resigned in the wake of the disaster. Former Test openerChetan Chauhan was the chairman of this committee. As an openingbatsman of repute himself, Chauhan should have had a betterunderstanding of the dangers of playing on a 'overprepared ' wicketlike this. But the lure of lucre was so high that they decided to playa game on December 27 fior the very first time since the internationalagainst the Aussies on October 31. Nearly two months went by withoutany cricket on this wicket. Why did the BCCI allot this one dayinternational to DDCA knowing fully well that Delhi is not playing itsRanji games on the ground? Everyone knew that the pitch was suspectafter the low scoring games during the T 20 Champions League. And whatpray was Daljit Singh the chief curator of the BCCI doing about allthis? The blame game has begun with the DDCA trying to palm off thebuck to the BCCI's Technical Committee. But that was expected, forDDCA officials are known to be shameless.
The T 20 Champions League matches see unpredictable and varying bounce asthe matches produce very low scores. Australia plays India in a one dayeron October 31 and it is business as usual. Against this backdrop Indiaplay Lanka in a dead rubber and it takes over 23 overs to call off thematch. That too only after Kumar Sangakarra has seen enough. And whatpray was the match referee Alan Hurst doing all this while. Playingtiddlywinks in the pavilion. It is only after Sangakarra rushed tothe centre to prevent any grievous bodily harm and damage to hisplayers did Hurst make an appearance. Delhi is to play host to four2011 World Cup matches and a match abandonment could result in a 12 to24 month ban on the Kotla.
In any case the DDCA is known as a den of vices. It has a lousyreputation. Earlier this year, we saw Delhi captain Virender Sehwagthreatening to quit and go over to Haryana since he was unhappy withthe conduct of the DDCA officials. DDCA president Arun Jaitley makeslight of the insurrection and papers over the matter by convincingViru that 'all iz well.' On Monday, recriminations continue as the ICCdemands action from the BCCI. Sports minister MS Gill terms the entireKotla pitch fiasco as a "great embarrassment" and says the BCCI andthe DDCA owe an explanation to the country for the abandonment of thegame. "It is very unfortunate and a great embarrassment for thecountry. It should not have happened. I watched the match a bit on TVand it was terrible to see such an incident taking place," Gill said.
"What can I say, all those who are in-charge of cricket nationally andstate-wise can only answer on the issue," he added. A stingingindictment of the BCCI and the sense of fierce individualism that itdisplays. Registered under the Societies Act, it is nothing more thana private cosy club. It does pretty much as it pleases as it has shownrecently by not signing the WADA whereabouts clause. No diktat worksagainst the BCCI. So, when the shoe is finally on the other foot, touse an age old adage, it is really pinching. And all its critics areflaying it sensing an opportunity.
Now let us look at the DDCA's response system. Yes, it has finallymanaged to build a fancy stadium complete with lights. But what goodis a stadium if the cricket pitch is unfit to play? What good is apitch and a stadium if its own state team refuses to play Ranji Trophyon it? Allegations of mismanagement have abounded all this while.Critics and detractors have now got a genuine handle. Arun Jaitley'sresponse is so ineffectual and weak that it is laughable. Please readthe following: "DDCA regrets the inconvenience caused to allspectators and others.We offer our apologies to them. All gate tickets will be refunded. Adetailed announcment in this regard will be made shortly." On Mondaymorning local papers have issued an advertisement on how the ticketscan be refunded. Mr Jaitley you have egg on your face. But one cannotcriticise the DDCA alone. It is the system whereby the BCCI pays largesums of money to staging associations from its revenues to upgradefacilities. Further every international game brings large revenues tothe same staging associations. It is simply you scratch my back, Iscratch yours that works seamlessly within the sanctum sanctorum ofthe BCCI. The least that the BCCI can do is prepare honest pitches.The first couple of games against Lanka saw huge scores being run on'patta' wickets. Then we saw two slightly more sporting wickets whichsaw the Sri Lankans floundering. In the end we had this disaster atDelhi as the capital made its latest tryst with shame.
Crowd trouble normally associated with Kolkata also reared its uglyhydra head. I don't really blame the spectators who paid good maoneyto arrive at Kotla on a Sunday. And then they found they were cheatedout of a full game. Spectators hurled water bottles and broken chairsonto the ground.Putting a question mark over Kotla's prospect as a 2011 World Cupvenue since a similar incident 12 years ago had invited abrief ban for the Nehru Stadium in Indore.
Jaitley has expressed shock over the pitch. Did somebody tell him thathis own state team hasn't played Ranji games on the ground? ChetanChauhan and Sunil Dev were seen running like headless chickens onceSangakarra refused to play ball. On a telly channel, I saw ChetanChauhan mouthing inanities defending the indefensible as anotherformer cricketer Madan Lal waded into him. There was angst in Delhiover the fiasco. Bishan Singh Bedi squarely blamed the DDCA for thepitch fiasco.
"DDCA had made a mess out of the pitch and they should own up theresponsibility. I wondered how a pitch which was not used even forRanji Trophy matches was used for the one-dayer. Action should betaken against them (DDCA) but that is BCCI's job," he said. Isincerely hope that the BCCI's clout with the BCCI doesn't get DDCAoff the hook. Punitive action needs to be taken, a ban of 12 monthswill teach these fat cats in the association a lesson that they won'tforget in a hurry.
In a recent interview to sportzpower Daljit Singh, chief curator hadsaid, "The BCCI from this season has introduced pitch quality forms,which the match referees will have to fill up. This is a step in theright direction. I think there will be a paradigm shift in the comingtwo or three years. Already Ranji games are being played on seamingand green tracks, to enable the players to get used to conditions theywill encounter abroad. But to suddenly have Tests in India on suchbowling-friendly tracks is not easy. The strength of the home teamalso needs to be kept in mind. I think slowly this mind-set willchange."
Enough said.
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