Pakistan welcome neutral umpires for Asian Test cricket (11 February 1999)

11 February 1999

Pakistan welcome neutral umpires for Asian Test cricket

AFP

NEW DELHI, Feb 11 (AFP) - Pakistan, done in by Anil Kumble and controversial umpiring in last week's Test match against India, were on Thursday relieved to find neutral umpires nominated for the upcoming Asian Test championships.

"Having two neutral umpires will do away with allegations of bias," Pakistani captain Wasim Akram said. "Nothing much will be read into genuine umpiring errors.

"It's a positive move and should be enforced for all Test matches," he said.

Indian umpire A.V. Jayaprakash was ridiculed by Indian and Pakistani critics for three dubious decisions during leg-spinner Kumble's sensational 10-wicket haul in Pakistan's second innings of the New Delhi Test.

The win enabled India to square the two-Test series, Pakistan's first on Indian soil in 12 years.

West Indian Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen of South Africa will stand in the opening match of the championship between India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta from February 16.

Sri Lanka are the third team in the first ever multi-nation tournament involving the Test match format. Each team will play the other once in the league with the top two meeting in the final at Dhaka from March 12.

A brainchild of International Cricket Council chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, the tournament is being seen as a forerunner to a proposed world championship of Test cricket.

The finalists will be determined through points awarded for outright wins and batting and bowling bonuses in the first 100 overs of the first innings.

Twelve points will be awarded for an outright win.

A three-member technical committee for the championships, comprising former Test stars Sunil Gavaskar (India), Majid Khan (Pakistan) and Ranjith Fernando (Sri Lanka) decided the bonus points system as follows:

Batting points (first 100 overs of first innings only): 150-224 runs - 1 point; 225-299 runs - 2 points; 300-349 - 3 points; 350 and over - four points.

Bowling points (first 100 overs of first innings only): 3-4 wickets - 1 point; 5-6 wickets - 2 points; 7-8 wickets - 3 points; 9-10 wickets - 4 points.

The top two teams in the points table will advance to the final. In case of a tie on points, the team with a superior batting run-rate in the first 100 overs of the first innings will make the final.

If the final is drawn and the first innings of both teams have been completed, the team which accumulates higher bonus points will be declared the winner.

There is also a provision to switch on the floodlights to complete 90 overs in a day in case of bad light.

Championship schedule:

February 16-20: India v Pakistan in Calcutta
February 24-28: India v Sri Lanka in Colombo
March 4-8: Pakistan v Sri Lanka in Lahore
March 12-16: Final in Dhaka

Source :: AFP

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