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New Delhi: The International Cricket Council on Thursday banned Ferozeshah Kotla pitch for the next 12 months after the fifth ODI between India and Sri Lanka on December 27 was abandoned due to dangerous playing conditions.
Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla ground not to host any international matches till the end of 2010, said ICC.
The only big respite to the Delhi and District Cricket Association is that Kotla can host the 2011 World Cup matches; however, the ICC pitch consultant will oversee the pitch before the 2011 World Cup.
The incident occurred on December 27 when the fifth and last ODI between India and Sri Lanka was abandoned after 23.3 overs with the on-field umpires finding the pitch too dangerous to continue playing on.
In accordance with the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, which came into effect from October 1, 2009, Match Referee Alan Hurst submitted a report to the ICC expressing his concerns over the quality of the pitch.
Under clause 3.3 of the regulations governing the process, the ICC provided the BCCI with a copy of Hurst's report and requested the BCCI to respond. The BCCI has now provided a reply to the ICC's request.
Even though Hurst rated the Ferozeshah Kotla track as "unfit", which is the harshest assessment, BCCI is trying to establish that it was a mere "poor" pitch.
Delhi and District Cricket Association president Arun Jaitley and BCCI president Shashank Manohar, both legal experts, were present when the board's response was drafted in Mumbai.
Incidentally, ICC president David Morgan has gone on record saying he would not favour an international ban on Kotla because 2011 World Cup scheduled in the sub-continent would be "poorer" without Delhi.
"I am not at all sure that such a ban would be appropriate in this case. It's not our desire that a pitch in an important city like New Delhi should be banned for a lengthy period.
"The 2011 World Cup would be poor without matches being hosted in New Delhi," the ICC chief said.
