Optus Stadium pitch in Perth was assessed by ICC and was formally branded average by match referee Ranjan Madugalle.
The International Cricket Council(ICC), desperate to improve the standards of the pitches all around the world has introduced a rating system at the start of the year- very good, good, average, below average and poor. Test venues which are deemed ‘unfit’ are given five demerit points, ‘poor’ pitches, three points and ‘below average’ strips are given single points.
If a ground receives five demerit points over a rolling five-year period, it will be banned from hosting any international series for 12 months.
Madugalle was responsible for rating ‘poor’ given to MCG last year, a grading that raised few eyebrows at Cricket Australia. Two of the past 4 MCG tests have resulted in draws while the curator Matt Page working hard to add more life to the flat pitches which caused widespread criticism.
The verdict of Ranjan Madugalle was presumably related to the uneven bounce that resulted in a couple of nasty blows.
