The International Cricket Council (ICC) has branded the Newlands pitch as ‘Unsatisfactory’ after the briefest Test match in history.
In a clash between South Africa and India under the ICC World Test Championship, Mohammed Siraj’s remarkable 6/15 restricted South Africa to 55 in their first innings. Despite Aiden Markram’s defiant century, India secured a seven-wicket victory on day two.
ICC Match Referee Chris Broad expressed concerns about the challenging conditions, highlighting unpredictable bounce and difficulties for batsmen. Subsequently, the Newlands pitch in Cape Town received an “unsatisfactory” rating through the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
The extreme conditions add unpredictability, testing players’ adaptability and enhancing the essence of Test cricket.
