Ref: Trent Bridge pitch poor

London - The pitch used during the drawn first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge has been rated as poor by match referee David Boon, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) considering whether a fine will be imposed.

The Nottingham surface came under fierce criticism for its placid nature, with groundsman Steve Birks and chief executive Lisa Pursehouse forced to publicly defend it while the match was ongoing.

England bowler James Anderson also expressed his disappointment, amid concerns pitches of that nature would damage the appeal of test cricket and make it hard for bowlers to recover.

In his match report Boon expressed his concerns with the pitch, with the England and Wales Cricket Board given 14 days to respond.

"After the ECB has submitted its response, ICC's General Manager - Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC's chief match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, will consider all the evidence, including studying video footage of the match, before reaching their decision on whether or not the pitch was poor and if so, if a penalty should be imposed in accordance with Clause 4 of the ICC Pitch Monitoring Process," the ICC said in a statement on Saturday.

Potential penalties include a fine of up to $15 000 or a directive for corrective action.

"We are naturally disappointed to have produced a pitch rated poor, which is at odds with our record of producing consistently good pitches for international matches at Trent Bridge," Pursehouse said on Saturday.

"The role of a Test Match Venue groundsman is fraught with immense pressure and variable factors and we are blessed to have one of the very best in Steve Birks.

"We will cooperate fully with this process and re-establish our enduring reputation for producing good cricket wickets."