Former cricketers seek action against DDCA for pitch fiasco

The ex-India players said DDCA should be pulled up for the pitch fiasco after the fifth one-dayer was abandoned due to unfit playing conditions after 23.3 overs with Sri Lanka at 83 for five.
Former India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi squarely blamed the DDCA for the pitch fiasco.

"DDCA had made a mess out of the pitch and they should own up the responsibility. I wondered how a pitch which was not used even for Ranji Trophy matches was used for the one-dayer," Bedi said.
"Action should be taken against them (DDCA) but that is BCCI's job," he said.

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar held the BCCI Pitch Committee responsible for the incident and asked the Cricket Board to take quick action.
"It is a shameful incident this kind of pitch is prepared for an international match. BCCI Pitch Committee must be held responsible and DDCA have to answer a lot of questions. BCCI should take quick action that is important," he said.

"Some deliveries were rearing up even from the good length which is not good for cricket. DDCA must refund the entire money to the spectators who came to watch good cricket," he added.

Turnstile becomes a pain in the neck at Kotla
 The turnstile at the Kotla turned out to be a pain in the neck for commentators, crowd and journalists who went through a harrowing experience ahead of the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka one-dayer here today.
Journalists, who came to the ground yesterday for the pre-match press conference by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara, were stopped at the gate and were made to wait for 10-20 minutes, apparently because the turnstile had not noted their exit time.
The stranded journalists had to call Delhi and District Cricket Association officials to get them in and toss -- which took place 15 minutes behind the schedule doe to fog -- was over by then.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar was not spared either.
The batting great, who entered the ground along with Sri Lankan player-turned-commentator Russell Arnold, was in a rude shock as one of the ticket validation staff failed to recognise him and did not look satisfied even though his accreditation card was dangling prominently from Gavaskar's neck.

A Delhi Police official eventually rushed in to bail Gavaskar out and the former player was hardly amused as he went through the formalities before heading towards the commentary box.
Mismanagement was not confined to the gate alone and play -- which had already begun 15 minutes late due to fog -- was held up because of sightscreen problems.
Batsmen in action, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya spent the time chatting with Gautam Gambhir as the organisers took seven minutes to fix the issue.