The International Cricket Council said Wednesday it will launch a review after two Tests in the West Indies and South Africa were abandoned due to poor ground conditions. The outcome of the West Indies Test against India was branded ‘farcical' after only 20 overs of play was possible. In Durban, both South Africa and New Zealand were left ruing the fact that four days were lost and play was impossible even though rain had stopped. The ICC released a statement saying that "the outfields at Kingsmead, Durban, and Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, have been rated as "poor" by the match referees. Andy Pycroft and Ranjan Madugalle, both from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC match referees, filed a report stating that they were "concerned" about the quality of the outfields for the first Test between South Africa and New Zealand, and the fourth Test between the West Indies and India, respectively. "The reports have been forwarded to Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), who now have 14 days to provide their responses," the ICC said. It said the ICC will launch a review of the respective responses. South Africa-New Zealand and West Indies-India Tests were both interrupted by rain. But once the rain had stopped, the umpires abandoned the Tests because the grounds were unfit for further play. Former West Indies captain Viv Richards called for an inquiry, describing the situation as "unacceptable."As host of the Test the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board announced that it had also launched an investigation. In Durban, Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the pitch had only recently been relaid and blamed unseasonal rain and earlier flooding. England won't force players to tour Bangladesh: Morgan England will not force any player to tour Bangladesh, limited-over captain Eoin Morgan said, in the wake of the July 1 attack on a Dhaka cafe in which 22 people were killed. England's one-day squad will receive a briefing Thursday from a three-member panel which toured Bangladesh to assess security for the series, comprising three one-dayers and two Tests there in October. "I don't think anybody will ever be forced to go on a particular tour," Morgan told BBC Radio 5 live. "I think it's important for us to get together as a group, and be informed by people who we trust in order to make the right decisions and go from there." England's one-day team is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on Sept. 30 and Morgan had full faith in the wisdom of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
