09 November 2004	Tuesday	25 Ramazan 1425

MUMBAI, Nov 8: Polly Umrigar, former India captain and curator of controversial Wankhede pitch at Mumbai for fourth Test between India and Australia , said the wicket crumbled because Aussies captain Ricky Ponting used the heavy roller on it twice during the match.

"We had prepared a firm, hard pitch that would have turned third day onwards. Ponting himself had made a statement in the press that wicket was 'dry'," Umrigar said.

"If it was dry, why did he use half-tonne roller on it (option is a quarter- tonne one)? You cannot blame curator. Ponting dug his own grave."

Umrigar said Ponting used half-tonne roller at the start of both their innings. "We were surprised. Perhaps he was too sure of Australian batting."

"I also don't understand how almost 250-plus runs could be scored per day if pitch was so bad. The truth is Australia could not handle our spinners."

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) vice-president & former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar did not comment on Umrigar's stand. "The match finished in two days and there is no doubt that pitch was unsuitable for Test cricket," he said.

"It was a bad advertisement for Test cricket. We will ensure this does not happen again because cricket-loving people of Mumbai deserve a full five days of action."

Asked what MCA's defence would be if International Cricket Council conducted an enquiry into the pitch, Vengsarkar said: "I don't want to say anything as we haven't heard from ICC."

Match referee Ranjan Madugalle said he would be sending a report On the match to ICC.-Agencies