Referee finds no problem with Tinsukia pitch but next Ranji tie shifted to Guwahati

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has called for a probe and given Assam Cricket Association (ACA) 10 days to file a report on the pitch in Tinsukia, used for the Ranji Trophy match between Assam and Services that lasted just 90 overs and was the shortest completed match in the elite tournament’s history.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia held a press conference in Guwahati on Monday to announce this. 

However, match referee Amit Sharma has deemed the pitch “moderate with considerable turn”, so it is unlikely that the venue will receive any sanction although the home association has shifted Assam’s next match to Guwahati. The referee’s report means that it was spin-friendly pitch but the batsmen lacked skills to tame the turn.

The Assam-Railways match starting on November 1 was scheduled to be played in Tinsukia, which is a 40-minute drive from Dibrugarh, but it has now been shifted to the state capital which will also host the first semi-final of the Women’s World Cup between South Africa and England on October 29, just two days prior to the Ranji Trophy tie.

Services captain Rajat Paliwal described the pitch as “a sticky wicket where the ball was holding a bit, and had turn and bounce”.

“It remained that way throughout the day and didn’t improve. Even when it was dry, it was similar,” said Paliwal.

“There were cloudy conditions and moisture in the morning. The pitch normally improves with time. But it was surprising that it didn’t.”

This was the first Ranji Trophy tie in Tinsukia in 25 years. The last time it was held was back in 2000-01 when Odisha (then Orissa) played Assam here. Prior to that it had hosted Jharkhand, with MS Dhoni, in 1999-00. The first match played at the venue was in 1992 when Bihar that included ex-India wicketkeeper Saba Karim, was hosted by Assam which was led by ex-India player Lalchand Rajput and included another ex-India stumper Chandrakant Pandit as a professional.

In the most recent match that ended on Sunday, Services defeated the home team by eight wickets. The match lasted exactly 90 overs. It could have finished on Day 1 itself had the weather held up. The pitch used was newly laid, and the association had erred on not hosting any tournament in preparation.

There were two hat-tricks by Services bowlers -- left-arm pacer Mohit Jangra and left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma -- in the first innings. That the hat-tricks were taken by a pacer and a spinner has given credence to referee Sharma's view that it was not favouring any particular type of bowler and was not dangerous.

Assam were bowled out for 103 in 17.2 overs and 75 in 29.3 overs, while Services were dismissed for 108 in 29.2 overs in first innings and then chased the 71-run target losing just two wickets. 

Tags : Assam, Services, Tinsukia, BCCI, Ranji Trophy