ICC chief happy with wickets

International Cricket Council chief executive David Richardson said yesterday that he is happy with the World Cup’s “sporting pitches”, insisting they have provided good balance between bat and ball.

Richardson said the ICC’s only direction to the pitch curators was to prepare sporting tracks.

“During our playing days a score of between 220 and 260 was a good score but not now. So our only direction to the curators was to prepare sporting tracks,” the former South African wicketkeeper-batsman told reporters in Edgbaston. “And what’s heartening to see in this tournament is how the bowlers have had a say and we have seen some exciting cricket.”