DURBAN, March 28: Match referee Chris Broad said on Tuesday he would recommend to the International Cricket Council that specific regulations be drafted to cover repairs to pitches during international matches. “There isn’t anything specific in the law book and I will be recommending to the ICC that there should be something like that,” Broad said in a television interview following a controversy about repair work done on the pitch during the second Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead.

Soil put in a small hole outside a left-handed batsmen’s off stump was taken out on Broad’s instructions after the Australian team noticed the work at the start of the fourth day’s play on Monday.

“At the first opportunity, which was the drinks break, the groundsman was going to take it back to where the pitch was before it had been repaired,” said Broad.

The repair work was criticised by Australian batsman Matthew Hayden, who said it was against Test regulations to touch the playing surface during a match.

Broad cited a similar situation in Hamilton, New Zealand, in 2004 when match referee Clive Lloyd ordered repairs to a large hole, also outside a left-hander’s off stump, to be undone during a Test between New Zealand and South Africa.—AFP