Melbourne pitch rated as ‘Unsatisfactory’ 

Mr. Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees has rated the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch that was used for the fourth match of the ICC World Test Championship series between Australia and England as “Unsatisfactory” and the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

Mr. Crowe said: “The MCG pitch was too much in favour of the bowlers. With 20 wickets falling on the first day, 16 on the second day and no batter even reaching a half-century, the pitch was ‘Unsatisfactory’ as per the guidelines and the venue gets one demerit point.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

• As per the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, 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.