by sussexpob » Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:39 am
When a pitch spins on Day 1 a fair bit, people always take note and criticize a pitch. When a pitch has 1.3cms of live grass on the top at the toss, and the test is all but rendered over in the 2nd session of day 2, does anyone care? If I went to play in village cricket on a surface with so much grass on it, I would think it inadequate for such a standard, the fact we are getting these pitches in TEST cricket is an abomination. People will have their own view, but the legacy of this series to me is one that points to everything wrong with test cricket. This series was a mouthwatering prospect; a very good team with home conditions playing the worlds best. We should have got close test matches, not a one sided 10 wicket landslide and a test that was over before its halfway point.
But how do we expect close test matches when you prepare pitches designed especially to favour the home team dramatically? The first test venue had been a road for a decade, India come to town and all of a sudden the pitch turns into something that seams all over, swings and have variable bounce on day 1. 2nd test, the same. When England came to Hagley Oval, they got their only 350 plus score in an age on a flat deck. Australia came and made over 500 on a docile pitch. India come and get confronted with more green than the Amazon Jungle.
If we want competitive tests between top teams then we need to start questioning these home banker pitches everyone produces. No one seems to care now, but when the Kiwi's turn up in India and get a track turning at right angles on Day 1 in revenge, I expect lots of people will trot out the stereoptypes.
1.3 cms of live grass?!?! Seriously, the ICC should be stripping test status from grounds that produce such pitches. I say ground, is Hagley Oval even a ground? Isnt it just a pitch in the middle of a park?
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And a hat and bra to you too, my good sirs!