Pakistan A refuse to play on damaged pitch in New Zealand
Report from AFP
6 December 1998
HAMILTON, New Zealand, Dec 6 (AFP) - Pakistan A forfeited their
four-day cricket match against New Zealand A here Sunday after
refusing to bat on a pitch which had been damaged by vandals
overnight.
The visiting side refused to emerge from their changing rooms at
the delayed start time after repair work had been completed to
the satisfaction of the umpires.
The New Zealand A team were therefore awarded the match. Pakistan
A were due to continue their second innings at 15 without loss,
still 164 runs behind New Zealand A.
Pakistan A manager Wasim Bhatti expressed disappointment with
both the umpires and the Northern Districts association over the
affair.
Bhatti felt his side should have been given more time to prepare
after the decision was made by umpires Evan Watkin and Bill
Sommer that the pitch was fit for play.
``My boys were very mentally perturbed. There were a lot of spots
on a good length and I was trying to convince them out of a
mental shock,'' Bhatti said.
Bhatti said he was unable to contact the chairman and chief
executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board for further advice
because it was about midnight in Pakistan.
``Instead of fixing the problem, we were met with a threatening
attitude and not given enough time to convince our players,''
Bhatti said.
The groundstaff discovered the damaged pitch Sunday morning, with
several small holes dug and the surface scratched around the
stumps area at both ends of the pitch.
Bhatti described the spot, just short of a good length, as ``very
dangerous''.
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