ICC scraps super-sub, introduces pitch-monitoring

LONDON, Mar 20 (Reuters) The International Cricket Council (ICC) said today it would scrap the super-sub trial in one-day internationals and introduce a formal pitch-monitoring process for international cricket.

''This process, which has been adopted with immediate effect, includes potential sanctions ranging from a formal warning to a member board fine or even suspension of international status for venues that produce substandard pitches,'' it said in a statement after an ICC board meeting in Dubai.

The board's decision on the use of super-subs follows last month's recommendation by ICC chief executives, who felt the rule placed too much importance on winning the toss in one-dayers.

The original intention of the substitution rule was to encourage teams to make greater use of all-rounders but in practice teams have used specialists to fill a void.

''We introduced this rule on a 12-month trial basis last year to make one-day cricket more exciting,'' Malcolm Speed, ICC chief executive, told reporters in February.

''But from the feedback that we have received from captains and former players it was apparent that we should not continue with it.'' Reuters PDS DB2119