BCCI steps in to put the lid on pitch controversy

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) Stung by Rajasthan Royals captain
Shane Warne's scathing attack on changing the pitch for their
home match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
on Tuesday sought to put the lid on the controversy, saying
selecting the playing surface was the prerogative of the
curator and the teams have no choice on the matter.
A last-minute chance of track at the Sawai Man Singh
stadium in Jaipur for Rajasthan Royals match against Chennai
Super Kings triggered off a controversy with a livid Warne
slamming the decision as "ridiculous" and saying that host
teams have the right to extract the best out of home
conditions.
Warne expressed his displeasure at the post-match media
conference on Monday, stating that never in these four years
were they instructed on which surface to use. The Royals have
always preferred a slowish track compared to the one that was
selected by curator Venkat Sundaram.
The BCCI tried to douse the fire later in the day
regarding the pitch change as fingers were being pointed at
CSK which is owned by India Cements supremo and BCCI secretary
N Srinivasan using their clout to influence the curator's
decision.
IPL Chairman Chirayu Amin issued a release to say that
it was the curator, in consultation with the BCCI's Ground and
Pitches Committee, who decides the playing surface and there
was nothing sinister about the change of pitch at Jaipur.
"The BCCI would like to confirm that its Ground and
Pitches Committee sent recommendations for ground and pitch
preparation to all host associations before the start of the
IPL season. Included in the same was the advice that 'the
pitches should have good pace and consistent bounce," the
release said.
"The committee members have visited a number of the IPL
venues both before and, where necessary, during the season,
and made appropriate recommendations, the priority being to
ensure competitive and quality cricket," it said.
Amin in his statement also rubbished the concept that
home team is allowed to take a call on the playing strip.
"Neither of the playing teams has a choice of the wicket,
on which to play the game. It is the curator, in consultation
with the Ground and Pitches Committee Chairman, who prepares
the wickets", he said.
"The BCCI wishes to clarify that the wicket used in the
match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, played
at Jaipur on 9th May 2011, was as per the decision of the
curator and the Ground and Pitches Committee. This decision
was taken in the best interests of the game."
The release also included a statement made by the
chairman of BCCI's Grounds and Pitches committee, Venkat
Sundaram.
"The IPL is being played at the end of the Indian
domestic season, and after the World Cup. Therefore, the main
pitches are bound to have wear-and-tear. The extreme heat
prevailing all over the country has also taken its toll.
"Hence, it becomes necessary to change the pitches in
some cases, as good playing conditions will result in good
cricket," Sundaram stated.
Some of the franchise owners have been vocal about how
CSK has been "flouting norms" and the sources in the Chennai
camp defended the decision, saying, "it was purely a BCCI
decision to change the pitch and they had no say in it."
Earlier during the auctions this year, some of the
franchises complained that the sequence of the players'
auction was planned at the behest of Srinivasan which allowed
CSK to retain some of the players who came up for auction
late and by the time when other teams had exhausted their
purse.
Rajasthan lost by 63 runs to Chennai last night, playing
on the new surface and Warne was livid with the change.
"In the past four years we have never been told to play
on any particular wicket. It is ridiculous to have
instructions for pitch," Warne fumed.
Asked if these instructions meant losing the home
advantage to some extent, Warne retorted, "I have no idea from
where the instructions came. But never before there have been
such things going on. It is right of every team to extract
best out of home conditions.
"The wickets for earlier matches were fantastic. If you
had been watching earlier matches here you can make out easily
that today's wicket was different. It has come as a shock and
surprise that we were being instructed to play on certain kind
of wicket," he said.
Though he did not blame anybody in particular, Warne was
indirectly referring to the unofficial complaint that was
lodged by Mumbai Indians after they were restricted to 94 for
eight on a slow track.
"I don't want that there should be headings tomorrow that
Shane Warne blames the pitch because it was same for both
teams and I concede that we were outplayed. We were up against
a side which was pumped and eager to win," he added.