India concerned about faulty pitch

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September 15, 2006 01:17 IST

India on Thursday expressed concerns over the awkward bounce in the pitch for the match against West Indies in the DLF Cup cricket tri-series at the Kinrara Oval stadium in Malaysia.

"We have expressed our concerns informally. It is not an official complaint," an official of the Indian team told PTI on condition of anonymity.

India, electing to bat, made 309 for five but three of the dismissals were due to deliveries that rose hardly above ankle height.

Captain Rahul Dravid fell leg before to Dwayne Smith early in the innings while Virender Sehwag and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were out bowled -- all to low kept balls.

Also, Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, who went on to make an unbeaten 141, were dealt severe blows on their upper wrist by sharp rising deliveries.

The matter forced ICC Match Referee Chris Broad to issue a statement to the effect that the unreliable bounce was a result of a 'fault' in the pitch and that next two matches would be played on the adjacent strip.

The statement said that the "depression on one of the two pitches being used for the tournament is a short of good length outside the off stump of the right hand batsmen while facing the pavilion."

Broad said that the fault was identified by ICC Pitch Consultant Michael Box last evening but despite the best efforts of the ground staff it could not be rectified in time.

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