Mumbai: Slow bowlers around the world would have to contend with pitches offering little or no turn on the first two days if Test centres start preparing pitches conforming to what the International Cricket Council (ICC) has prescribed as an ideal track.

The ICC has formally declared what a very good Test match pitch should offer during a match vis-a-vis bounce, carry, seam movement and turn and has put in place a process by which an erring match centre would be penalised.

The ICC Match Referee would be asked to rate every pitch prepared for a Test or ODI across a range of parameters including bounce, seam movement and turn before providing an overall assessment of the pitch and outfield.

According to the criteria prescribed by the ICC, the ideal Test pitch should have “good carry, limited seam movement and consistent bounce throughout, little or no turn on the first two days but natural wear sufficient to be responsive to spin later in the game.”

If Test pitches are found to be ‘unfit’ or ‘poor’, there will be sanctions ranging from “a formal warning to a fine for the home board or even suspension of international status for a venue that produces a substandard pitch”, according to the news letter.

Dave Richardson, ICC’s General Manager-cricket said that the new policy was a necessary step towards ensuring good quality pitches.