The Melbourne Cricket Ground is below stress to supply a pitch that delivers a good contest between bat and ball within the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa after the series-opener on the Gabba was washed out inside two days.
Australia received the Brisbane Test by six wickets because the batsmen struggled on a green-top pitch, which was criticized by South African captain Dean Elgar and earned a “below average” ranking by the International Cricket Council.
As followers refused to behave for 5 days, broadcasters additionally misplaced promoting income.
The Gabba’s pitch has acquired one demerit level below the ICC pitch and outfield monitoring course of.
Details ⬇️https://t.co/Y40BXAc23n
– ICC (@ICC) December 20, 2022
Cricket Australia chief of operations Peter Roach mentioned the governing physique has no management over MCG curator Matt Page and his work on the pitch, however will work with him within the Test beginning on Monday.
Roach informed reporters on Wednesday, “We hope that our curators will again find the balance between the bat and the ball where they are.”
Last yr’s Boxing Day Test was over inside three days, as Australia defeated England in a one-sided Ashes contest. Australia’s vice-captain Steve Smith mentioned he hoped Melbourne could be kinder to the batsmen, ranking the pitch on the Gabba as “probably” the hardest he had performed on in his dwelling nation.
“Some balls were hitting the wicket, some were bouncing and it was incredibly difficult to bat against,” Smith mentioned on Wednesday.
“Whether it was unsafe or not, it is not likely my place to evaluate, however it actually wasn’t simple to bat.
“As a batsman, I need to take (wickets) a bit much less.
“I think it’s a good balance just trying to compete between bat and ball.”
Australia want to seal the three-match sequence with one other win in Melbourne.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
