LEEDS, July 23: England's cricket bosses have ruled out any sinister motives behind their decision to swap pitches for tomorrow's crucial fourth Test against Australia at Headingley.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney and England and Wales Cricket Board's pitch consultant Harry Brind ordered groundsman Andy Fogerty to swap the Test pitch to an adjoining one, sparking an Ashes row.

``He (Brind) felt the alternative wicket would provide a better wicket for the Test match the guidelines state that matches should be played on a dry, even-covered grass wicket,'' Graveney explained.

``I was asked as Chairman of selectors to approve that change. There was no question of anybody ordering anybody to change the wicket and it's not been done for any sinister or strange motives.''

The two men visited Leeds and found the proposed Test strip with bare patches and widening cracks and felt it would be a minefield to bat on against the leg spin wizardry of Shane Warne. In fact, it was the same wicket the first One-day international was played on 64 days ago.

``In Harry's opinion, in close liaison with the ground authorities and the groundsman, the grass had not grown back on the One-day wicket sufficiently to his liking,'' Graveney said.

The ECB has virtually taken control of pitches at most Test venues after sub-standard pitches in recent years produced short Tests.

It was one of the major issues discussed recently when the nine Test-playing captains met at Lord's. According to the chief executive of the International Cricket Council, David Richards, the captains and the ICC's cricket committee were concerned about a general decline throughout the world in the standard of Test wickets and that the executive board would treat the issue as a priority.

Both Ashes skippers, Mark Taylor and Michael Atherton, have been supportive of the move.

It has been agreed in principle that the ICC will crack down on sub-standard or obviously doctored pitches. A likely outcome is that touring teams will have the right to veto any venue which consistently gets bad reports about its pitches.

``If people think there has been a bit of skulduggery with us, I would remind people of the pitches at Lord's and Old Trafford,'' England coach David Lloyd said. ``The groundsman produces a pitch and we play on it. It's 22 yards long and there are six stumps. So let's get on with it that's as far as we get involved.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.