JOHANNESBURG – Play was called off at Wanderers Stadium on Friday afterSouth African batsman Dean Elgar was hit on the grille of his helmet by ashort ball from India s Jasprit Bumrah.

Umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould had held talks earlier in the day becauseof unusual bounce and deviation on a pitch which former Indian captainSunil Gavaskar described as “dangerous”.

After Elgar was struck late in the afternoon, match referee Andy Pycroftjoined the umpires on the field and the third day of the third and finalTest was halted.

South Africa, set 241 to win, were 17 for one.

Both captains were called into a meeting with Pycroft in accordance withInternational Cricket Council regulations.

The procedure is that umpires can call off play when they considerconditions to be dangerous. The umpires and match referee then consult thecaptains.

Play can resume if the captains agree. If not, the umpires and matchreferee have to decide whether it is possible to effect repairs to thepitch so that play can resume.

If not the match can be abandoned.

Only two Test matches have previously been abandoned because of dangerousconditions.

In January 1998, England were 17 for three against the West Indies atSabina Park in Jamaica when the umpires stopped play because of a dangerouspitch.

In February 2009, a match between the same two teams in Antigua was calledoff after ten balls because a soft outfield was regarded as dangerous forbowlers and fielders.

Former international players in the TV commentary box were critical of thepitch.

“It s almost an accident waiting to happen,” said ex-South African captainKepler Wessels.

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding recalled the 1998 JamaicaTest.

“That was a total fiasco, this isn t far off,” he said. – Agencies