File photo: South Africa has many cause for celebration as they get all ten Afghanistan wickets in 11.5 overs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in the World Cup 2024 semifinal
THE International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a critical assessment of the pitches used for the first two matches at New York’s Nassau County Stadium and the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, deeming them “unsatisfactory.”
According to a Cricinfo story on Wednesday, the ICC’s verdict, delivered nearly two months after the tournament concluded with India defeating South Africa in the final.
In New York, the substandard pitches led to dramatic collapses as on June 3, Sri Lanka was bowled out for a mere 77 against South Africa, and two days later, Ireland managed only 96 against India. During the latter match, the uneven bounce resulted in several players sustaining injuries. Notably, Rohit Sharma had to retire after being struck on the upper arm by Josh Little, while Rishabh Pant and Ireland’s Harry Tector were also hit by deliveries that behaved unpredictably.
Commenting on the New York pitch, Andy Flower described it as “bordering on dangerous,” while former England captain Michael Vaughan labeled it “shocking.”
The New York venue, constructed in just five months, faced scrutiny for the rapid preparation of its drop-in pitches. Despite efforts by Damian Hough, the Adelaide Oval chief curator, to prepare the surfaces, the ICC acknowledged the issues, exacerbated by the tight schedule of hosting eight games in two weeks. Remedial actions were taken, including covering areas with topsoil and rolling them to flatten the surface, leading to “satisfactory” ratings for subsequent matches, including the India vs Pakistan fixture.
However, the pitch for the semi-final at the Brian Lara Academy drew even sharper criticism. Afghanistan struggled to 56 all out on a surface where some deliveries rolled along the ground while others bounced sharply from the same spot. Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott condemned the pitch, stating, “That’s not a pitch you want to play a semi-final on.” This issue was not isolated, as surfaces at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy generally posed challenges, with the West Indies narrowly defending 149 against New Zealand after being 30 for 5 at one point.
The ICC evaluates pitches and outfields for international matches on a scale ranging from very good to unfit. The Providence pitch for the India vs England semi-final was rated “satisfactory,” while the Kensington Oval in Barbados where the final was hosted received a “very good” rating. Outfield conditions were largely satisfactory, with New York and Guyana singled out for needing improvement, while other venues were rated “very good.”
