True reflection of change

Cricket has changed dramatically particularly in the last two decades as franchises buy intohttpswwwmiddaycomnewsopinionarticleblatantschedulingbias23358635 the game in a big way T20 is the priority of franchises with the focus moving to power over other aspects of cricket This has tilted the game in the direction of brute strengthThe drastic changes to the game have meant that the preparation of pitches is brought even more into focus Where once a curator in Australia or a groundsman elsewhere only had to concentrate on preparing surfaces for firstclass matches and the occasional Test they now have to facilitate pitches for Tests ODIs and T20 matchesAs if that isnrsquot a big enough burden therersquos also the advance of dropin pitches because of Australian rules football and the use of club grounds for interstate cricket The curatorgroundsmanrsquos lot is a demanding oneTest cricketrsquos expansion over the years is best explained by the careers of Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar two topclass batsmen from different eras In a span of 20 years 19281948 including the second World War Bradman played 52 matches on only 10 Test grounds In a career that lasted 24 years 19892013 Tendulkar played a mammoth 200 matches on a hard to imagine 59 different Test groundsApart from the difference in Tests played the vast number of grounds that Tendulkar played on suggest that pitches are now susceptible to greater variationIn the past a capable curatorgroundsman would define their approach to preparing Test pitches as ldquoWe try and make a good one for everyone that produces a result some time around tea on the fifth dayrdquoThe history of the game shows that a pitch which gives bowlers a chance mdashwhether it be pace or spin or a bit of bothmdashgenerally provides the best matchesApart from pitches becoming tired if they are overused there is the added issue of how few Tests last the allotted five days Adding another degree of difficulty daynight Tests are becoming a regular feature on the scheduleFor oneday games the assumed wisdom is a pitch which resembles a third day Test wicket and is slightly in favour of batsmenSo that begs the question what is an ideal pitch for each variety of gameA Test pitch should provide some encouragement for bowlers and this can mean the match doesnrsquot last the allotted five days However it doesnrsquot mean a Test match wonrsquot be exciting especially with entertainment becoming a priorityFiftyover matches are still a very good game and they deserve pitches on which players can display a full range of skills This generally means a pitch with some encouragement for bowlers but slightly favouring the batsmenThe T20 pitch is where the dilemma for curatorsgroundsmen is at its peak This is especially so during the lengthy IPL tournamentThere are a lot of matches played over consecutive days which fully extends the grounds where pitches can be overused There are also the shorter boundaries which favour the powerhitting batsmen And if thatrsquos not enough to drive a groundsman crazy therersquos the worrying aspect of dew will it be a factor or notThere is much to consider especially when preparing a pitch for a T20 game This was highlighted in the USA leg of the 2024 World Cup where most of the pitches were considered to be too much in favour of bowlersGetting the pitch preparation just right for T20 cricket can be a jigsaw puzzle A good surface can vary greatly not just from country to country but also from pitch to pitch This must be the toughest and most onerous task for a curatorgroundsmanSo if your dream is making cricket pitches for a living first make sure you complete the required study Then be prepared for a demanding future but a very satisfying onemdashif you get the formula rightFormer Australia captain Ian Chappell is one of the leading voices in world cricketClayton Murzellorsquos Pavilion End column will be back next weekThe views expressed in this column are the individualrsquos and donrsquot represent those of the paper