ICC warns Sri Lanka over Galle’s poor pitch

* Sri Lanka board gets official warning

* Test teams complained pitch was too dry

COLOMBO (Reuters): Sri Lanka’s cricket board (SLC) has been officially warned for the poor quality of the pitch at Galle, which hosted the first test in their recent series against Australia, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.

The SLC, in turn, said it would take “the necessary action” against those in charge of preparing the Galle pitch.

The pitch was criticised as too dry by both teams after Australia won the test by 125 runs last month.

“It was clear...that the amount of turn, especially early in the match, was excessive and there were occasions...where the ball went through the surface of the pitch, bouncing unusually steeply from a good length,” ICC general manager Dave Richardson was quoted as saying in a statement.

“Taking into account that it was the first time that a pitch at Galle has been rated as ‘poor’, and given the intention of the curator to prepare a pitch that provided a fair balance between bat and ball, we have decided to impose a warning as the sanction.”

SLC interim chairman Upali Dharmadasa said he would raise the matter at the ICC directors’ meeting in Dubai on Sunday.

“What has happened is bad for the game of cricket overall and we will take the necessary action against those responsible for producing such a poor pitch,” Dharmadasa said.

“Whilst taking into account that no one knows how a pitch will behave until you play on it, in this instance it has been proved that this pitch was of poor quality.”

The world governing body directed pitch consultant Andy Atkinson to inspect the ground at the end of this month and recommend necessary corrective measures.

The SLC will have to confirm to the ICC that the corrective actions have been implemented before the next international match is staged at the venue.