Daljit visits D Y Patil Stadium ahead of IPL final

Mumbai, May 20 (UNI) Daljit Singh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s ground and pitches committee chairman, has paid a visit to the D Y Patil Stadium where the final of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) is slated to be held, to guide on the preparation of the pitch.

''It's a magnificent stadium. I visited it in March. I have got good early reports about the pitch,'' Daljit said.

He said the main challenge before the IPL was preparing lasting pitches in hot conditions at the fag end of the summer. A good T20 pitch is one that plays the same for all the 40 overs of the game, Daljit noted.

The IPL had roped in veteran Australian curator Les Burdett for educating curators and groundsmen to prepare sporting pitches at various IPL venues. Burdett, who has been associated with the Adelaide Oval for 35 years, conducted a two-day seminar in Mohali in March. The seminar, chaired by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, stressed four things about the pitches -- They should be good for batsmen, they should have grass and play the same for 40 overs, they should have good carry and bounce, and they should not have exceptional spin or lateral movement.

Daljit said an incentives scheme for pitches has been devised with points in place: seven points for main pitch, two for the outfield and one for the three other pitches on the wicket square. He said pitches at Hyderabad, Delhi and Jaipur had been exceptionally good.

He added that Kolkata was on the slow side. ''Mumbai had good carry but too much lateral movement. That could be because Sudhir Naik didn't attend the Mohali meeting. I am going to speak to him.'' Asked what was the best way to ensure the pitch lived up to the parameters mentioned, Daljit said, ''Pitches should not be bald. The best way is by cutting down on the moisture in the pitch. Roll it in the heat. Rolling the grass in hot conditions is one way. We do that at Mohali where a hot roller turns the green grass into yellow. It will have good carry but no lateral movement.'' About the ground at D Y Patil Stadium, Daljit said, ''It is good they have brought clay soil from South Africa. They have Tifway 419 brand grass which is used for fairways in US golf courses. It's good. For the pitch I prefer hybrid Bermuda which is there at Mohali.'' UNI GS MAZ RAR ND1702