Bangladesh-NZ Test pitch ‘unsatisfactory’

Cricket’s world governing body said yesterday that a review of last week’s second test between Bangladesh and New Zealand had found it found the pitch “unsatisfactory”. 

Fifteen wickets fell on the opening day of the match at the ShereBangla National Stadium in Dhaka, with neither side making more than 180 in an innings.

New Zealand won the Test to level the two-match series 1-1 on Saturday but captain Tim Southee afterwards criticised the pitch as the “worst wicket” he had come across in his long career. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday that match referee David Boon had also found the pitch was not up to scratch.

“It appeared that the pitch may have been under prepared, as it was not hard and was covered in grass clippings on day one,” Boon’s report to the ICC said. 

“From the first session onwards, throughout the remainder of the match the bounce was inconsistent with numerous balls bursting the surface,” it added.  — SuperSport.