Why Pitches Like MCG Should Be Despised

Quote:In this batsman-friendly era, in which they have been gifted myriad advantages, batsmen ought not to be further coddled by making what ought to be a challenging occupation so cushy. It was "as flat a wicket as you'll ever see," remarked England captain Joe Root.

Australian captain Smith, despite having saved his side with a second-innings century, wasn't smitten with the surface either: "I think it just needs to do something. It hasn't changed over five days and I'd say if we were playing for the next couple of days it probably wouldn't change at all either. It's got to find a way to have some pace and bounce, or take some spin, or do something."

The overly placid surface is inimical to good cricket. Allowing batsmen to pad their averages while bowlers struggle hard for very little reward does nothing for the game as a contest.

Given a choice between viewing a game on a batting paradise or one that renders batting difficult, fans should choose the latter every time. Far from diminishing the quality of the game, sporting tracks often breathe life into them. Instead of engaging in run-scoring festivals, batsmen are forced to plumb the limits of their abilities to survive and to score runs.

Difficult surfaces also make for more unpredictable encounters. And while this is not to suggest that minefields be deliberately prepared — that would be taking things much too far — unpredictability adds excitement and suspense to a sporting event.

The wicket that brings the bowler back into the game, as opposed to having them serve a mere cannon fodder, is good for the game. Viewers might not see the ball climb into the stands as often, and batsmen may not be able to pile up mountains of runs, but games played on sporting wickets are frequently far more fascinating, even when they turn out to be low-scoring affairs.

FirstPost

the MCG ground was a west indian death bed....wat deh talking about placid ????

Maybe they should have a '2018 Committee' at each test, if the pitch looks dead after 3 days they bring back the beamer for the last 2 to spice things up.

I know nothing about how drop in pitches are prepared or constructed. Do they have to be this bad or like any wicket is it up to the groundsman who prepare it and what material is used to construct it?

The slow pitch helped England more not least with the bat. It enabled new batsmen to adjust and most of the wickets that fell in England's innings where specialist batsmen were involved were self-inflicted. The last three of four the England batsmen to be dismissed were got out.

bobby post=356816 Wrote:I know nothing about how drop in pitches are prepared or constructed

good point ....ask zacaroni to expand on this ...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/conten...13275.html

I also imagined secret simulated environs, a bit of a green house if you will
where mad scientists bring in the best possible soils
to create this mythical creature called the drop-in pitch.

I thought it involved closing air traffic in the Richmond area of Melbourne
to bring it in carried by some 30 aircrafts.

The Ashes' should be consigned to history. The inability of either nation to provide consistent playing conditions is an embarrassment. Add to that the unedifying nationalism (racism?) that the press, players and fans seem hell bent on prosecuting, it is time to set this contest to 3 tests, as part of the FTP only. RIP Ashes.

.........darn, duplicate !

alex post=356815 Wrote:if the pitch looks dead after 3 days they bring back the beamer for the last 2

....good one : how about the committee just change the "portable" pitch ?
MCG has 10 of them !