The Board of Control for Cricket in India's senior tournament committee has recommended that the Karnail Singh stadium in Delhi be barred from hosting cricket matches in 2012-13 following adverse reports from match referees over the pitch conditions during fixtures held earlier this season.
Railways Sports Promotion Board, which hosts matches at the Karnail Singh stadium, will be asked to find an alternative venue for their home matches in the next season, the committee that met in Mumbai on Friday recommended.
However, Hyderabad Cricket Association was let off after a stern warning for the same charges after the representatives of the two erring associations were heard by the committee, read a statement from Board secretary Sanjay Jagdale.
"The Senior Tournament Committee discussed the adverse reports received by the Board with regard to poor pitch conditions in the Ranji Trophy.
"The Committee had summoned representatives of the Hyderabad Cricket Association and the Railways Sport Promotion Board on the basis of reports submitted by match referees," Jagdale said.
"After considering the reports and giving a hearing to the representatives of the concerned associations, recommendations were made that the Hyderabad CA be let off after being warned that such an incident should not be repeated, and the RSPB should not be able to host any BCCI match at the Karnail Singh Stadium, in the 2012-13 season.
"However, the association can suggest alternate venues for its home games. Matches could be played at the alternate venues, subject to the BCCI's approval," Jagdale added.
Two Ranji Trophy league matches held at these two venues this season had drawn the attention of the committee after they got adverse remarks.
The matches were those played between hosts Hyderabad and Maharashtra in the Plate Division at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad in November last and the Elite Division game hosted by Railways against Saurashtra in December at the Karnail Singh Stadium.
The four-day Plate league game between Hyderabad and Maharashtra ended in just two days, with the latter emerging victors by an innings and six runs.
Hyderabad were shot out for 124 and 54 in their two innings while Maharashtra won by an innings even after notching just 184.
Maharashtra's left-arm spinner Akshay Darekar had staggering figures of eight for 20 in the Hyderabad second innings for a 13-wicket haul in the game.
The other match between hosts Railways and Saurashtra ended in three days with the visitors winning by 97 runs.
Saurashtra scored 175 and 152 while Railways replied with 81 and 149. Ravindra Jadeja of Saurashtra bagged 10 wickets in the game.
According to sources, BCCI's Ground and Pitches Committee chairman Venkat Sundaram had written to Jagdale complaining about the pitch prepared for the match, saying it was "deliberately left underprepared as Railways seek an outright result to bolster their chances of remaining/progressing up the league table".
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