DEMERIT POINT ON GADDAFI PITCH RESCINDED

• Appeals Panel also revokes one demerit point for “Unsatisfactory” rating of Maple Leaf Cricket Ground in King City, Toronto; three demerit points for an “Unfit” rating stay

The International Cricket Council on Thursday announced its decisions on three pitch ratings following appeals by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Canada (CC) on demerit points imposed for matches held in June.

The ICC Appeals Panel arrived at the decisions after reviewing footage of the matches, Match Referees’ reports and captains’ comments. 

The demerit point imposed on Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium following an “Unsatisfactory” rating for the third Men’s ODI between Pakistan and Australia on 4 June has been rescinded as the panel felt that while the guidelines of the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process had been followed by the Match Referee, “the pitch did not demonstrate excessive unevenness or spin”. 

The Maple Leaf Cricket Ground in King City, Toronto, had been imposed with an “Unsatisfactory” rating for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match between the United States of America and the Netherlands on 8 June and an “Unfit” rating for a subsequent match of the same series between Canada and the Netherlands on 16 June. 

The Appeals Panel felt that while the guidelines had similarly been followed by the Match Referee, the condition of the pitch used on 8 June “was consistent with that of a satisfactory pitch” and that it “did not demonstrate excessive unevenness, seam movement or spin”, and therefore withdrew the demerit point.

The three demerit points for the “Unfit” rating on the pitch used on 16 June though stay on the record of the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground as the panel considered that “the condition of the pitch was dangerous and thus consistent with that of an Unfit pitch.” 

The Maple Leaf Cricket Ground now has three demerit points in its record while there are no demerit points for the Gaddafi Stadium. 

NOTE TO EDITORS 

• As per the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, which is available on the ICC Rules and Regulations page here, if a pitch or outfield is rated as being substandard, that venue will be allocated a number of demerit points. 

• One demerit point will be awarded to venues whose pitches are rated by the match referees as ‘Unsatisfactory’, while three demerit points will be awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as ‘Unfit’. 

• Demerit points will remain active for a rolling five-year period. 

• When a venue accumulates six demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months, while a venue will be suspended from staging any international cricket for 24 months when it reaches the threshold of 12 demerit points. 

• *The Media Release on the “Unsatisfactory” rating for the Gaddafi Stadium is available here
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• The Media Release on the “Unsatisfactory” rating of the Maple Leaf Cricket Ground for the pitch used on 8 June is available here and the rating for the one used on 12 June is available here