Mumbai May 4:
While a lot of heat and dust is being raised about a complaint being made by the Mumbai Indians (MI) over the nature of the pitch that was provided for their game against hosts Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 29, the Mumbai-based franchise has categorically denied having lodged any protest.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, MI said, "Mumbai Indians have not lodged any complaint to IPL on the nature of the pitch. It is disconcerting to note that Rajasthan Royals and a senior official of the Rajasthan Cricket Association are trying to sensationalise this issue." After their seven-wicket loss to the Royals, MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar had referred to the pitch in answer to a query at the post match presentation saying "it was two-paced and kept low".
There wasn't much ado about it from the opposition then but two days later Royals captain Shane Warne blamed Tendulkar's comments saying it had prompted the IPL authorities to rush pitch inspector Venkat Sundaram to Jaipur. The Royals believed it was because of Mumbai Indians' complaint. "We are the only ones under pressure with regard to the ground conditions. No other centre has had a visit from a pitch inspector. I am not having a go at Sachin Tendulkar here but Mumbai Indians in general played poorly on Friday. It (the complaint) was totally unnecessary and out of order," was how Warne had put it.
MI has termed the development as unsporting. "There have been unsolicited, distasteful comments and personal remarks made in reaction which is not in keeping with the spirit of the game." Recalling the exact comments of MI skipper, the statement sought to clarify the matter, adding. "The post match comment made by Sachin Tendulkar, in reference to a specific question on the pitch was as follows:
"It was a tough pitch, different to what we played on in Mumbai. Don't want to take the credit away from Rajasthan, who bowled and fielded well. It was two-paced, the ball kept low. We lost early wickets, were not able to rotate strike. A score of 130 would have been a challenging total. We were not able to accelerate in the middle overs."
While a lot of heat and dust is being raised about a complaint being made by the Mumbai Indians (MI) over the nature of the pitch that was provided for their game against hosts Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 29, the Mumbai-based franchise has categorically denied having lodged any protest.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, MI said, "Mumbai Indians have not lodged any complaint to IPL on the nature of the pitch. It is disconcerting to note that Rajasthan Royals and a senior official of the Rajasthan Cricket Association are trying to sensationalise this issue." After their seven-wicket loss to the Royals, MI skipper Sachin Tendulkar had referred to the pitch in answer to a query at the post match presentation saying "it was two-paced and kept low".
There wasn't much ado about it from the opposition then but two days later Royals captain Shane Warne blamed Tendulkar's comments saying it had prompted the IPL authorities to rush pitch inspector Venkat Sundaram to Jaipur. The Royals believed it was because of Mumbai Indians' complaint. "We are the only ones under pressure with regard to the ground conditions. No other centre has had a visit from a pitch inspector. I am not having a go at Sachin Tendulkar here but Mumbai Indians in general played poorly on Friday. It (the complaint) was totally unnecessary and out of order," was how Warne had put it.
MI has termed the development as unsporting. "There have been unsolicited, distasteful comments and personal remarks made in reaction which is not in keeping with the spirit of the game." Recalling the exact comments of MI skipper, the statement sought to clarify the matter, adding. "The post match comment made by Sachin Tendulkar, in reference to a specific question on the pitch was as follows:
"It was a tough pitch, different to what we played on in Mumbai. Don't want to take the credit away from Rajasthan, who bowled and fielded well. It was two-paced, the ball kept low. We lost early wickets, were not able to rotate strike. A score of 130 would have been a challenging total. We were not able to accelerate in the middle overs."
