BCCI appeal against one-year Kotla stadium ban

The Board of Control for Cricket in India have appealed against the one-year ban imposed on Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi after a dangerous pitch led to the abandonment of one-day international in the Indian capital last month.

Michael Beloff, chairman of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Code of Conduct commission, will hear the Indian cricket board's appeal, the sport's governing body said in a statement on Sunday.

The fifth and final match of the series between Sri Lanka and India was called off after 23.3 overs due to a dangerous pitch, upon which the tourists had struggled to 83 for five.

Match referee Alan Hurst classified the strip as "unfit", the worst of six possible categories, attracting a suspension of the status to host international matches for a period between 12-24 months.

The ICC ruled last week that no international cricket could be staged at the stadium until the end of 2010 following an investigation by chief referee Ranjan Madugalle and cricket operations manager Dave Richardson.

"The matter will now proceed in accordance with the ICC's Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process," the statement said.

The stadium will, however, still host the four matches it was scheduled to stage during the World Cup, to be jointly hosted with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Feb. 19 to April 2, next year.