ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board confirmed on Monday that the pitch used for the third round match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the Professional Cricket League Regional 4-Day Tournament in Dominica will be investigated.

The Volcanoes completed an eight-wicket victory over the Hurricanes inside two days at Windsor Park, located in the Dominica capital of Roseau.

WICB director of cricket Richard Pybus will gather the reports of the match referee and umpires, as well as captains and coaches of each team, along with officials of the Volcanoes franchise regarding the preparation and performance of the pitch.

“We will speak to all of the relevant parties to get a clear picture of what took place at Windsor Park and decide on the course of action once we have reviewed all the reports,” he said.

In the match, Hurricanes declared their first innings before lunch on the opening day last Friday on 24 for seven before Volcanoes gained a lead of 116, thanks to a half-century from opener Tyrone Theophile in the face of a career-best, seven-wicket haul from teenaged fast bowler Alzarri Joseph.

Nkrumah Bonner then stroked his third half-century in six innings before spinners Liam Sebastien and Alston Bobb shared nine wickets between them and the Hurricanes were bowled out for 170, leaving the Volcanoes with the modest target of 55 for victory.

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What utter nonsense!

Then again ... it's the WICB, and LI.

In reply to Norm

What Leewards have to do with this? Is them who under prepared the pitch?

In reply to voiceofreason

They batted like the wicket was bad.

In reply to voiceofreason

Pybus and the WICBandits should be under investigation. With all the rain, flooding and devastation in Dominica, they had to know the pitch would be under prepared. People worried about living and being able to earn and re-build. Anybody in Dominica have time to worry with this crappy cricket?

so WI tried to cheat

In reply to voiceofreason

It is not yet verified whether the pitch was actually under prepared. There was probably nothing wrong with the pitch and the batting just dramatically collapsed. The declaration was just planned collateral to support that position.

A proper investigation of all concerned will rule out a precedence where teams will readily blame pitch after poor showing by their batsmen.

I wasnt there but was told the ball was stopping a bit on the pitch. To understand things a bit clearer in the first innings only two batsmen was out behind the wicket and there was one lbw. The ball wasnt creeping or anything though it did take alot of turn in the second innings.

Lawd give di Dominicans a break nuh ...... when one considers the tragedy that took place a few months ago they did well to prepare a pitch in di fuss place ...... steeups.

Don Makehell will be insisting that an independent committee do a thorough review and recommend that all future matches be played at St youknowwhere

In reply to Kay

I have zero confidence in anything coming out of the pitch investigation.

Last year there was a legitimate complaint about a misplaced ball and I am yet to hear anything conclusive on that. Have you heard anything?

In reply to Norm

You sound as if you were there.

In reply to bobby

+1,000

In reply to bobby

You are right that they should have rescheduled the match. I mean even Creole fest was cancelled and that is a big as it gets.

Dominica probably got the match as a form of economic assistance.

In reply to camos

Elaborate please.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Apparently Pybus will be working 24/7 to get to the bottom of this!

In reply to voiceofreason

Camos is like a resident village idiot at times.

In reply to bobby
Is this WICB responsibility or would it be the local cricket association who would need to advise the WICB that the match need to be rescheduled.

In reply to carl0002

At least yuh thinking more than most...its de Dominican board to advise de WICB....but then again, its Leewards and maybe its nat de wicket afterall is juss de LI wanted to blame someone fuh their piss poor normal selves!

Sounds similar to the pitch they prepared for the Aussies back in 2012

No investigation then

Windwards should be under investigation for having two teams seven wickets down for under 30 runs and letting one get away.

In reply to imusic

Some of the low scoring matches have been really interesting. I remember 2 tests featuring Aussies. One against Eng and one against SA. If the pitch was dangerous / Misbehaving then there is a reason for investigation. Else I dont see a point.

No quality of pitch can justify a 24 run Innings.

True story I visited Dominica and played at Windsor Park in 2011. Beautiful ground, the ground staff mentioned to us that it would take sometimes 6 to 8 hours to cut the ground, on closer examination we found out they were using a greens mower instead of a fairway mower...or something that could cut wider swats at a faster pace

I don't blame the grounds staff but somebody up the chain really didn't know what they were doing..