Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees has rated the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium pitch in Kandy that was used for the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as "below average" and the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
"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," Madugalle said."The pitch remained batting-friendly throughout, resulting in a total of 1,289 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," he added.
Madugalle's report has been forwarded to Sri Lanka Cricket.
Bangladesh scored 541 for 7 declared in their first innings and 100/2 in their second essay. Sri Lanka batted once and piled up 648/8 declared with a career-best double hundred by skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.
The second Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will commence from Thursday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
( With inputs from ANI )
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