Raja blames it on the pitch, calls for a change of venue

COLOMBO, July 20: Pakistan skipper Rameez Raja gave full vent to his feeling by calling the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) rectangle a ``sh.t'...

COLOMBO, July 20: Pakistan skipper Rameez Raja gave full vent to his feeling by calling the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) rectangle a “sh.t” wicket and said the Pakistan team management has lodged an official protest with the International Cricket Council match referee, John Reid.

“I’m amazed at the curator. He had seven full days to prepare the wicket,” Raja said, unable to digest the quality of the wicket, which he said was “underprepared”.

He said he was shocked that a match so important as the one against India should be played on such a bad wicket. He revealed that he has also spoken to the Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar about this, impressing upon him that it will be in the interests of both sides that they ask for a change of venue. “Otherwise, it’s going to be the same story tomorrow, weather permitting. And everything hinges on the toss.”

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He said that he was not concerned about the narrow interests of the spectators and the Asia Cup tournament organisers. What was of paramount importance to him, he opined, was national pride. Asked if he thought it was a “great escape for Pakistan”, Raja broke into a smile and replied: “Yes, of course it was.”

Tendulkar’s face was a picture of monumental disappointment. He said he saw the match as a “lost opportunity”.

He said he would not like to comment on the decision of the umpires to bring a nasty end to the match. But his tone reflected the inner feelings of his unsaid words.

Tendulkar said that he would not agree to Raja’s request for a change in the venue. He said that the SSC has better drainage facilities than the Premadasa Stadium.

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Meanwhile, hopes of a prompt start does not look bright tomorrow. Should play be washed out on Monday too, then it will be repeat of the story in the 1994 Singer Cup when the match between the two teams was rained out.

In the event of tomorrow’s match being abandoned, the net run-rate will come into play. And as things stand after today’s no-show, the equation reads: Sri Lanka plus 0.49, Pakistan plus 0.94, Indian minus 0.62 and Bangladesh minus 2.18.

ABANDONED MATCHES INVOLVING INDIA

Venue Scores Date

1 Trivandrum Ind 175 (37) Aus 29-1 (7.4) 1-10-84

2 Jamshedpur Ind 21-2 (5.1) Aus 0-0 3-10-84

3 Sialkot Ind 210-3 (40) Pak 0-0 31-10-84

4 Saravanamutu Ind 194-6 (40) SL 32-4 (9.2) 22-9-85

5 Hyderabad Aus 242-6 (47) Ind 41-1 (10.4) 24-9-86

6 Karachi Pak 28-3 (14.2) Ind 0-0 20-12-89

7 Mackay Ind 1-0 (0.2) SL 0-0 8-2-92

8 Khettarama Ind 16-0 (4) SL 0-0 04-09-94

9 The Oval Eng 291-8 (50) Ind 86-5 (17.1) 23-5-96

10 Durban Ind 191-9 (50) SA 42-1 (14.3) 12-2-97

11 Sinhalese Pak 30-5 (9) Ind 0-0 20-7-97

These are the matches were some play was possible. Except for match No 3 at Sialkot (called off due to Indira Gandhi’s assassination) and match No 6 at Karachi (called off due to riots), rest of the matches were abandoned due to rain and bad weather.

MOHANDAS MENON