True reflection of change

Test cricket’s expansion over the years is best explained by the careers of Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar. Bradman played on only 10 Test grounds while Tendulkar played a mammoth 200 matches on 59!

Cricket has changed dramatically, particularly in the last two decades as franchises buy intohttps://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/blatant-scheduling-bias-23358635 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 strength.

The 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 first-class matches and the occasional Test, they now have to facilitate pitches for Tests, ODIs and T20 matches.

As if that isn’t a big enough burden there’s also the advance of drop-in pitches (because of Australian rules football) and the use of club grounds for inter-state cricket. The curator/groundsman’s lot is a demanding one.

Test cricket’s expansion over the years is best explained by the careers of Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar, two top-class batsmen from different eras. In a span of 20 years, 1928-1948 (including the second World War), Bradman played 52 matches on only 10 Test grounds. In a career that lasted 24 years, 1989-2013, Tendulkar played a mammoth 200 matches on a hard to imagine 59 different Test grounds. 

Apart from the difference in Tests played, the vast number of grounds that Tendulkar played on suggest that pitches are now susceptible to greater variation.

In the past a capable curator/groundsman would define their approach to preparing Test pitches as, “We try and make a good one for everyone that produces a result some time around tea on the fifth day.”

The history of the game shows that a pitch which gives bowlers a chance —whether it be pace or spin or a bit of both—generally provides the best matches.

Apart from pitches becoming tired if they are over-used there is the added issue of how few Tests last the allotted five days. Adding another degree of difficulty, day/night Tests are becoming a regular feature on the schedule.

For one-day games, the assumed wisdom is a pitch which resembles a third day Test wicket and is slightly in favour of batsmen. 

So that begs the question, what is an ideal pitch for each variety of game?

A Test pitch should provide some encouragement for bowlers and this can mean the match doesn’t last the allotted five days. However, it doesn’t mean a Test match won’t be exciting, especially with entertainment becoming a priority.

Fifty-over 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 batsmen.

The T20 pitch is where the dilemma for curators/groundsmen is at its peak. This is especially so during the lengthy IPL tournament.

There are a lot of matches played over consecutive days, which fully extends the grounds where pitches can be over-used. There are also the shorter boundaries which favour the power-hitting batsmen. And if that’s not enough to drive a groundsman crazy, there’s the worrying aspect of dew - will it be a factor or not.

There 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 bowlers.

Getting 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 curator/groundsman. 

So 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 one—if you get the formula right.

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell is one of the leading voices in world cricket 

Clayton Murzello’s Pavilion End column will be back next week

The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper

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