‘They didn’t prepare the track at all’

“When our sixth wicket fell,I told my players to start hitting out because I knew there was no way that one could survive under these conditions. Did you see how high our ‘keeper Sheldon (Jackson) was collecting the ball to spinners?” he said,while speaking to reporters at the end of the day’s play.

“The match will end inside three days,even less. I said this the moment I saw the condition of the wicket,” said Mitra. The 63-year-old criticised the Railways management for turning out an underprepared wicket. “I have never seen such a strip in 45 years — as a cricketer or as a coach. What’s the point in having a match on such a wicket? They didn’t bother to work on it and left it as it was,after their last game,” a furious Mitra said.

When asked whether the team management would file a complaint,Mitra said: “Why would I? But the Saurashtra Cricket Association is waiting for my report and they will accordingly decide the course of their action.”

On the eve of the game,Saurashtra’s Ravindra Jadeja,who took 6 for 22 on Wednesday,had predicted an early finish,courtesy the wicket.