ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: There will be no element of cheating in preparation of pitches for the forthcoming series against England, a top cricket official said on Friday.
“With good fast bowlers and spinners, the home advantage means that we have to have wickets which are fast and also help the spinners,” chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar M. Khan told journalists at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
“We have consulted everyone including captain Inzamamul Haq, coach Bob Woolmer and others and we have all agreed that there should be no cheating.”
The PCB has told its groundsmen what type of wickets are required for the series that comprises three Tests and five One-day Internationals.
“Our groundsmen and curators are all very experienced and I am confident they will provide us exactly the kind of pitches that we want.”
Shaharyar said that the International Cricket Council had now given clear directions on how to prepare pitches and added that those guidelines would be followed.
He ruled out a foreign curator for this series but made it clear that if the wickets did not prove to be of a level that was required then a foreigner might be hired for the next series.
The PCB chief disclosed that the Asian Cricket Council would be making donations for the Pakistan quake victims.
“One donation will be from the Afro-Asian Championship that they organised while it has also been suggested that a match of next year’s Asia Cup be dedicated for earthquake relief.”