The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) office bearers are still inflexible that the height of the sight screens at the Eden Gardens meet the international standard.
According to the ICC assessment report, Eden Gardens failed on 17 counts and gone the February 27 World Cup match between India and England. And sight screen, or rather its height, is one of them. Test umpires who have plenty experience of officiating matches at the Eden Gardens feel that the ICC’s insist about the sight screen is justified.
“Sight screen is really a reason for concern at Eden Gardens. During my time, the height of the sight screens used to be 15 feet X 45 feet. The entrance gate of the club house inferior tier is right on top of the sight screen at the pavilion end and play got hold up everytime there was a movement. We used to lose at least 10-15 minutes everyday for the turbulence,” former Test umpire Piloo Reporter told The Sunday Express.
“Now the ICC is very exacting about maintaining the time. Fifty overs have to be bowled in three and a half hours which doesn’t allow an interruption for the sight screen problems,” he added. The CAB had rejected the ICC’s suggestion of raising the height of the sight screens to 25 feet reportedly on the ground that it would have meant a loss of 200 odd seats in the lower row of the club house.
“The ICC’s ruling has justification. But at the same time, the world body should standardize the height and width of the sight screen to avoid confusion,” Reporter said.
According to the ICC assessment report, Eden Gardens failed on 17 counts and gone the February 27 World Cup match between India and England. And sight screen, or rather its height, is one of them. Test umpires who have plenty experience of officiating matches at the Eden Gardens feel that the ICC’s insist about the sight screen is justified.
“Sight screen is really a reason for concern at Eden Gardens. During my time, the height of the sight screens used to be 15 feet X 45 feet. The entrance gate of the club house inferior tier is right on top of the sight screen at the pavilion end and play got hold up everytime there was a movement. We used to lose at least 10-15 minutes everyday for the turbulence,” former Test umpire Piloo Reporter told The Sunday Express.
“Now the ICC is very exacting about maintaining the time. Fifty overs have to be bowled in three and a half hours which doesn’t allow an interruption for the sight screen problems,” he added. The CAB had rejected the ICC’s suggestion of raising the height of the sight screens to 25 feet reportedly on the ground that it would have meant a loss of 200 odd seats in the lower row of the club house.
“The ICC’s ruling has justification. But at the same time, the world body should standardize the height and width of the sight screen to avoid confusion,” Reporter said.
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