Controversial Ranji tie abandoned despite BCCI intervention
The fourth and final day's play in the controversial group "C" super-league match between Delhi and Tamil Nadu in Madras was "abandoned" today without a ball being bowled after the visitors refused to resume play after the wicket was allegedly tampered with yesterday.
Delhi were 183 for four in reply to Tamil Nadu's 473 all out, when play was suspended yesterday 30 minutes before the scheduled close after Delhi skipper Ajay Sharma walked off alleging that the pitch was damaged when the umpires were changing the ball.
Match referee P R Punjabee said the match was declared abandoned after the Delhi and District Cricket Association refused to continue the match on the "tampered" wicket.
Punjabee said the decision was taken after a meeting with Ajay Sharma, Tamil Nadu captain Robin Singh, and the managers of Tamil Nadu and Delhi S Balaji and Sunil Kumar Khanna, in consultation with
umpires D K Kar and P S Godbole.
Punjabi said the Board of Control of Cricket in India secretary J Y Lele, in consultation with technical committee chairman Sunil Gavaskar, had appointed V V Kumar, member of the BCCI technical committee, to set right the allegedly tampered pitch as per the new rules. But the DDCA declined to take further part in the match, claiming the players were psychologically upset.
He said the Delhi team coach Maninder Singh Jaggi tried to persuade his team to play. But the team refused, complaining against the "damage to the wicket during the final session of play."
The umpires have recorded the match as abandoned in the official BCCI score sheet.
"I will submit my report on this episode along with that of the umpires and the DDCA's letter to the board, which would decide about the result of the match, Punjabi said.
Punjabi said that following a fax message from Lele directing the Delhi team to resume a match in the interests of the game, the allegedly tampered portion of the pitch near the good length spot was worked on.
He said the umpires wanted to call "play" today at 9.15 am but the Delhi coach Maninder Singh Jaggi informed him that Ajay Sharma and his team mates were not willing to play.
Punjabi said technically the match stands abandoned since the third session of the play yesterday.
When contacted, Lele expressed surprise over the abandonment of the match. The pitch could have been prepared and Delhi could have played under protest, he said.
Meanwhile, asked about his opinion of the episode, a former international umpire said that the umpires had the power to go out and call for play following the BCCI's directive to resume the match.
The Tamil Nadu players were upset by the lost chance, since they were ahead in the game and were looking forward to a first innings lead if not quite an outright win. In their next super league match Tamil Nadu is slated to take on former champions Bengal at Calcutta from February 23 to 26.
EARLIER REPORT:
Foul play suspends TN-Delhi Ranji match
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