LONDON, Feb 1 (AP): Disgraceful, scandalous, substandard. shambles. Words usua-llv associated wi-

th the English cricket team's performances on tour.

Only this time they referred to the state of the Sabina Park pitch in Kingston, Jamaica, which made history Thursday when a Test match was abandoned for the first time because it was too dangerous to play.

Photos of the cracked up playing surface and England batsmen ducking and weaving out of the way of the sharply rearing cricket ball were splashed across the front and back pages of the dailies Friday.

For the first time in the 121-year history of Test cricket, the match was abandoned after

barely an hour's play because the batting area was considered unfit to play. It will be replaced by an additional visit to Trinidad Feb 5-9 prior to the second Test there the following week.

While the International Cricket Council announced Friday that former West Indies cricket great Sir Clyde Walcott would lead an investigation into the Sabina Park shambles, Thursdays chaotic scenes sparked angry reaction from former England players and cricket commentators.

Under the headline "The Killing Field" the tabloid Daily Mirror quoted former star allrounder Ian Botham as saying there could have been a fatality.

"In all my career I have never seen anything as bad,” said Botham, who hit 5.200

runs and took 383 wickets in 102 Tests for England.

"Make no mistake about it. This was a death trap. I honestly believe that somebody could have been killed out there If the game had gone on very much longer."

Papers also quoted former West Indies star Michael Holding. one of the most feared of fast bowlers, as saying the groundsmen Involved should be condemned for producing such a poor pitch.

"I’ve never seen a pitch as dangerous as that." Holding said. "The people responsible should be brought to task."

The main picture on the front page of The Times showed the huge cracks on the red clay batting strip and the paper said that West Indian cricket might suffer as a results of the chaos caused by the game being abandoned.

"The repercussions for cricket in the Caribbean will be huge.” said The Times.

"Legal action is possible from disgruntled tour groups of England supporters several hundred of whom are on the island after paying 1.300 pounds (2.145 dollars) for seats and accommodation."

There was speculation in some of the papers that the pitch was prepared to guarantee a West Indies victory, especially after an embarrassing 3-0 series loss to Pakistan in Novem-_ber and December. • *-

In. the Independent, cricket commentator Henry Blofeld asked several questions to Jackie Hendricks, a former West Indies wicketkeeper who now is president of the Jamaica Cricket Association.

"Did he ever look seriously at (the pitch)?" asked Blofeld. "Did he look and keep his fingers crossed? Or did he hope for a pitch which would give his Jamaica captain. Courtney Walsh, good (bowling) figures."

Walsh took two of the three English wickets to fall and fellow paceman Curtly Ambrose snapped up the other as the batsmen, who managed only 17 runs between them tried to fend off fast-moving deliveries that either reared up to hit them on the arms, hands and shoulder or shot along the ground. Only 10 overs were bowled before the officials intervened.

David Richards, the ICC chief executive, said Friday that Walcott's investigating committee will convene at the earliest possible date to decide what action to take after the fiasco.

Two key issues are whether the Jamaica Cricket Association are culpable in the preparation of such a sub-standard pitch, and what needs to be done to ensure no repeat of what happened Thursday.

"It is helpful to the whole procedure that Sir Clyde was actually at the Jamaica Test himself." Richards said who also warned against over-reaction by people not involved.

I agree that this whole sad affair has done damage to the Image of cricket In the West Indies. but it is not for everyone else in the world game to go sticking their noses in."