Why is nobody talking about the pitch?

[King Tendulkar]

Just now, Prince_ said:

Wrong. Seaming tracks usually have something for everyone. On day one the pitch provides enough assistance to the fast bowlers. 

 

But as the test progresses the pitch starts to get flattened out. Day 2, 3 and 4 r usually excellent for batting with little to no side wise movement. Spinners aren't left out either in these types of wicket. 

 

They play key role in holding one end up and help the fast bowers remain fresh. Not only that, they also play a crucial role on day 5.

 

But u won't be able see this variety in most of the doctored rank turners that India usually dish out to the non Asian touring teams. These pitches  r under prepared and most of the time balls start spinning from day one and pitch gets worse as the match progresses. On day 4/5 pitch becomes almost unplayable. These types of pitches aren't good for test cricket. 

 

 

 

 

God the troll is back 

[express bowling]

24 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Bhogle and Sanju Manju were raving about the excellent pitch today, yet when we make abrasive turners they become apologetic, the latter even condescending. 

 

These 2, and some others like them, have massive inferiority complexes 

 

Asian batter out to a bouncer  .... does he have a weakness against the short ball  ?

Non-Asian batter out to a bouncer  .... that was a good ball  or  did it hit a crack  ?

 

Asian bowler bowling 135 k to 145 k ....  he is bowling 140 k or 135+.

Non-Asian bowler bowling 135 k to 145 k .... he is bowling 145 k

 

Turning tracks .....  poor

Seaming tracks  .....  good

 

Even their praises often have hidden derogatory sense  like  ....  not often do we see an Indian hit the ball this hard   or   get this kind of bounce 

These guys are incorrigible

 

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by express bowling

[waga]

it was a good wicket. It was swinging most of the time except when it started to to flatten out and then the last. An entire day of rain will do that on the last day as well not much you can do about it. even then its not like it was hooping unplayably so many wickets were unnecessary shots away from the body and Philander being an amazing bowler like always.

[rkt.india]

8 hours ago, goose said:

What makes you say the pitch didn't help us?

its same with rank turners

[Gollum]

15 hours ago, Gollum said:

Kanpur 2008 (India vs SA)

http://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scorecard/3865/ind-vs-rsa-3rd-test-south-africa-in-india-test-series-2008  (India won)

Team scores = 265, 325, 121, 64/2

Total runs scored for the loss of 32 wickets = 775

Avg runs/wicket = 24.22

Top scores in 1st and 2nd innings from either team = 1st innings Ganguly 87, 2nd innings Graeme Smith 35 (Ganguly 13*, Dravid 18*)

Distribution of wickets = 18-14 in favor of spinners

Match ref = Mahanama

Pitch rated as poor by ICC (still remember the moaning by Saffers esp Graeme Smith after the match got over , a match where we batted last)

 

Mohali 2015 (India vs SA)

https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scorecard/15069/ind-vs-rsa-1st-test-south-africa-tour-of-india-2015  (India won)

Team scores = 201, 184, 200, 109

Total runs scored for the loss of 40 wickets = 694

Avg runs/wicket = 17.35

Top scores in 1st and 2nd innings from either team = 1st innings Vijay 75, 2nd innings Pujara 77

Distribution of wickets = 35-5 in favor of spinners

Match ref = Jeff Crowe

Pitch rated as poor by ICC

 

Pune 2017 (Aus vs India)

http://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scorecard/17399/ind-vs-aus-1st-test-australia-test-tour-of-india-2017  (Aus won)

Team scores = 260, 105, 285, 107

Total runs scored for the loss of 40 wickets = 757

Avg runs/wicket = 18.92

Top scores in 1st and 2nd innings from either team = 1st innings Renshaw 68, 2nd innings Smith 109

Distribution of wickets = 31-9 in favor of spinners

Match ref = Chris Broad

Pitch rated as poor by ICC

 

Cape Town 2017 (India vs SA)

http://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/19157/rsa-vs-ind-1st-test-india-tour-of-south-africa-2017-18  (SA won)

Team scores = 286, 209, 130, 135

Total runs scored for the loss of 40 wickets = 760

Average runs/wicket = 19

Top scores in 1st and 2nd innings from either team = 1st innings Pandya 93, 2nd innings Ashwin 37

Distribution of wickets = 38-2 in favor of quicks

Match ref = Chris Broad

Pitch rating by ICC = yet to be released but people are going gaga about the excellent pitch and appreciating the great job done by the curator.

 

P.S. I don't think any of these pitches are poor, variety is an essence of cricket and it is good to test the over rated batsmen every once in a while in an age of flat decks. In fact if any pitch deserves to be rated poor, it should be the one where 1500+ runs are scored in 5 days with no result in sight. As you can see, batsmen who applied themselves have got runs in all the above 4 matches. Somehow I feel there is bias when it comes to pitch preparation by goras viz a viz Indians. 

@Prince_ Look at the distribution of wickets and try to answer why turners are poor but greentops are good for the game?

[sourab10forever]

Well it was a good test wicket.

[chewy]

Made for exciting cricket, but again quality of pitch has to be questioned, Day 4 and so much variable bounce, day 3 and it was crumbling 

[express bowling]

This pitch has variable bounce from day 3  ....  some balls keeping low and some balls climbing sharply.

 

Not a good pitch at all.

[Gollum]

Indian pitch hota to ab tak saare gore ro padte, haraami Chris Broad is pitch ko kya rating dega?

[AmreekanDesi]

This pitch was right up our alley

[express bowling]

2 minutes ago, Prince_ said:

Pathetic pitch. Pitch curator should be fired. This series is getting played in southafrica u moron, not in India. Stop dishing out these dust-bowls. Learn to take the home advantage and prepare some green tops for the upcoming matches. 

 

There was an interesting post match discussion about this pitch on TV.

 

They rightly pointed out that this pitch is different from Asian pitches ... because despite some balls keeping low, some deliveries were climbing steeply with fair regularity.

 

In Asia, the low pitches don't have bounce.

 

Another thing is ... in Africa, the pace and bounce of the pitches change much more drastically after a period of rain or sun-shine.  Sun bakes down for some time and the pitch becomes quicker and bouncier. Some rain and pitch loses pace.  In Asia, the nature of pitches don't shift to and fro intra-match.   They may become slower with time.