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Following the recent second Test between South Africa and India which produced a dramatic and bizarre low-scoring affair, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued an “unsatisfactory” rating for the pitch at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

This rating comes with only a one-demerit point penalty, which many cricket pundits and fans feel is a too-lenient punishment for such a crappy playing surface.

The pitch at Newlands was heavily criticised throughout the four-day Test which saw both teams knocked out for under 200 runs in their opening innings. The ball bounced ‘very unevenly’, posing a risk to batsmen and prompting concerns about player safety.

South Africa captain Dean Elgar and India captain Rohit Sharma both expressed dissatisfaction with the surface, calling it “below par” and “not good for Test cricket – Captian-speak for “it sucks”.

Despite this, the ICC’s demerit system and rating fall within the lowest acceptable category, which means it’s still game on, despite the obvious shortcomings. This is what frustrates most folks who orbit cricket balls.

Not everyone sees too much of a problem here, arguing that it ‘strikes a balance between holding venues accountable and fostering cooperation’. Several commentators have pointed out that the ICC’s monitoring process is already one of the most stringent in international sports, and that a more punitive approach could lead to an ‘adversarial relationship with member boards’.

While the rating might appear like a slap on the wrist for Newlands, it remains to be seen whether there will be any moves made toward improving the conditions for the players, as well as spectators.

Here’s to hoping, because the match played against India was likely the weirdest thing Newlands has seen since Rod Stewart sashayed and thrust his way across the stage there in 2008.

[source:pttsburghsportscastle]