Published: Sep 16, 2014, 08:57 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 16, 2014, 08:57 AM (IST)
Sep 16, 2014
Australian cricketers will be practising on artificial pitches that help the batsmen train better for the upcoming series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), wherein they will face spin challenge.
According to a report by The Courier Mail, the pitch has a concrete base with artificial grass, clay and turf rolled into grass to assist spin.
Australian team manager Pat Howard said, “The artificial base and the bounce is a lot different to what we get in Australia. (Spin coach) John Davison has bowled on it and we have been doing some more compacting to make sure it’s ready. I think it’s a step in the right direction. Batsmen can practise on a pitch that will play very differently to what we can expect in Australia.”
Howard added, “It’s a start. At no stage am I going to suggest it’s the finished article but I think it will provide a good, solid base to try something different.”
This activity is a part of Cricket Australia (CA) importing samples of pitch soil from India and identifying similar soil in the country to make spin-friendly wickets.
“In a further process we have been talking to quarries and doing further testing. We even found out that in Mumbai they have a mixture of clays. It’s very different, as you could imagine, if you go from the bottom of Sri Lanka in Galle all the way up to Mohali. It’s a fascinating process and we’re not going to have a magic bullet here,” Howard added.
“I’m happy to keep trying and innovating. I’m sure some things won’t go well, but I’m sure over a period of time we can create something that adds to the growth of players against spin.”
