|| CF DESK ||

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy a single demerit point after match referee Ranjan Madugalle of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ranked the pitch as 'below average,' according to a press release issued by the ICC today [Wednesday].

"The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days. There was no shift in balance between bat and ball as the game progressed. The pitch remained batting friendly throughout, resulting in a total of 1289 runs scored in the match for the loss of 17 wickets at an average of 75.82 runs per wicket, which is very high. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines I rate this pitch as below average," Madugalle was quoted as saying about the pitch in Kandy in the press release.

According to the updated ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, match referees will award one demerit point to venues with below-average pitches, while three and five demerit points will be awarded to venues with bad and unfit pitches, respectively. The demerit points will be valid for a five-year rolling period.

The first Test, which resulted in a draw, saw one double hundred, three centuries and four fifty-plus scores while bowlers struggled throughout the five-day period.

Both teams are expecting a sporting track for the second Test in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, which will commence from tomorrow [Thursday].