Australia v India, 2nd Test at Perth Stadium Dec 14-18

[LukeParkerno1]

He's got a tough job. The Adelaide and Perth pitches are designed differently and Melbourne will have the same design next year.

Still confident he can make it lively enough for a good result though from what I've seen.

If Adelaide and Perth can do drop ins (and I am far from a fan of them), then Melbourne should be able to. Curating is a tough job, it isn't meant to be easy, you are really judged on how the pitch plays for those 5 days, and there are so many variables all of which can go wrong. I remember being at a luncheon at the SCG and Tom Parker (SCG curator) was a guest speaker and he explained that charting was the best and worst job all rolled up in one.

That said I think we all should just say that last year's was a one off and frankly it was the best thing that happened- the poor rating. It needed to happen, these pitches all around Australia were getting way too flat. Personally the SCG has been even worse, so I sure as anything hope they are getting it right too.

 

[The Swans Blog]

Not real confident the curators at the MCG really have much of a clue of what they're doing. Granted, the shield matches had results until the last pitch, which turned flat as a tack on the last day and was basically a piece of crap again.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Not real confident the curators at the MCG really have much of a clue of what they're doing. Granted, the shield matches had results until the last pitch, which turned flat as a tack on the last day and was basically a piece of crap again.

Wasn't there rain around though?

Was almost a result anyway

 

[The Swans Blog]

Wasn't there rain around though?

Was almost a result anyway

There was. I read an article with an interview from the curator, said they tried something different for that specific pitch and it just didn't work, turned out to be flat and lifeless. They're trying to get the pitches to break up more like Adelaide and Perth pitches did, but they're still a long way off that happening. My best guess is that it'll offer slightly more life than it did in 2014, but significantly more than it did last year.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

There was. I read an article with an interview from the curator, said they tried something different for that specific pitch and it just didn't work, turned out to be flat and lifeless. They're trying to get the pitches to break up more like Adelaide and Perth pitches did, but they're still a long way off that happening. My best guess is that it'll offer slightly more life than it did in 2014, but significantly more than it did last year.

Last year's one was a slab of the Hume Highway. If you didn't get runs on that...

I'm happy they have used the Shield games to try things

 

[The Swans Blog]

Last year's one was a slab of the Hume Highway. If you didn't get runs on that...

I'm happy they have used the Shield games to try things

Not if they're going to roll out turds.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Not if they're going to roll out turds.

Well true but give them a break and let’s see what pitch we get

 

[bird_man]

If Adelaide and Perth can do drop ins (and I am far from a fan of them), then Melbourne should be able to. Curating is a tough job, it isn't meant to be easy, you are really judged on how the pitch plays for those 5 days, and there are so many variables all of which can go wrong. I remember being at a luncheon at the SCG and Tom Parker (SCG curator) was a guest speaker and he explained that charting was the best and worst job all rolled up in one.

That said I think we all should just say that last year's was a one off and frankly it was the best thing that happened- the poor rating. It needed to happen, these pitches all around Australia were getting way too flat. Personally the SCG has been even worse, so I sure as anything hope they are getting it right too.

Not sure if you actually read my prior post, but the old Melbourne wickets are designed differently to the Adelaide and Perth ones so they are constantly pushing s**t up hill in Melbourne. This will be the last year the MCG will have these drop ins before going down the same track as Adelaide and Perth.

The major issue the MCG has is the lack of deterioration due to the concrete base. So whilst I have no doubt Matthew Page can make it a lot more bowler friendly than it has been, he's still got a much tougher job on his hands then the other two. I expect to see a green top that will give plenty to the bowlers early in but it will then likely flaten out and get easier to bat on as the test goes on.

 

[bird_man]

Not real confident the curators at the MCG really have much of a clue of what they're doing. Granted, the shield matches had results until the last pitch, which turned flat as a tack on the last day and was basically a piece of crap again.

What makes you think they don't have a clue what they're doing?

 

[The Swans Blog]

What makes you think they don't have a clue what they're doing?

The last 4 years, new curators who still on occasion, produce the same piece of crap pitch that will most likely end in a draw. We should see the first 400+ score of the series, and the first match with two centurions.

 

[bird_man]

The last 4 years, new curators who still on occasion, produce the same piece of crap pitch that will most likely end in a draw. We should see the first 400+ score of the series, and the first match with two centurions.

This will be the guys first Boxing Day test so I think it is a bit harsh to say the guy has no idea what he is doing.

If you compare last seasons results to this years he looks to have made a difference.

Last year the MCG had 1 result from 5 games. We would have already seen 2 if not for the rain and the last one was still only 4 wickets away from a result despite him experimenting with the wicket and not get the result he was after.

Apparently he has tried something different for each wicket this year, so I'd expect him to take all the things he thought worked out of the first 3 games.

IMO the poor wickets have a lot more to do with an old outdated design rather than a curator that has no idea what he is doing, especially when the poor bloke has only been there a few months.

 

[frankrizzo]

We might end up with a pitch like the kiwis just had, green and bowler friendly early then goes very flat.

 

[Coach_Required]

We might end up with a pitch like the kiwis just had, green and bowler friendly early then goes very flat.

Thinking the same thing, most wickets to fall in the first 2 days then will flatten out

 

[The Swans Blog]

We might end up with a pitch like the kiwis just had, green and bowler friendly early then goes very flat.

+1 this

 

[Park cricketer]

We might end up with a pitch like the kiwis just had, green and bowler friendly early then goes very flat.

That is the worst kind of cricket pitch in my opinion.

That would give an undue advantage to the team bowling first and would make toss overtly important. Would rather have a flat wicket that remains flat throughout (or breaks up by 4th day) or a minefield that has difficult conditions for batting throughout. Otherwise it's a case of who is lucky to win the toss.

 

[The Speaker]

The MCG has had the worst pitch of the Australian Test venues for decades. Even before the drop-in, there were complaints every season about it.

 

[BangyBangy]

Not sure if you actually read my prior post, but the old Melbourne wickets are designed differently to the Adelaide and Perth ones so they are constantly pushing s**t up hill in Melbourne. This will be the last year the MCG will have these drop ins before going down the same track as Adelaide and Perth.

The major issue the MCG has is the lack of deterioration due to the concrete base. So whilst I have no doubt Matthew Page can make it a lot more bowler friendly than it has been, he's still got a much tougher job on his hands then the other two. I expect to see a green top that will give plenty to the bowlers early in but it will then likely flaten out and get easier to bat on as the test goes on.

Does the new Perth stadium not have a concrete base? Haven't looked into it, but would've thought any new stadium would have underground parking etc. The issue with the blandness of drop in pitches being the root system of the grass & how it compresses with a concrete base?

 

[The Speaker]

Does the new Perth stadium not have a concrete base? Haven't looked into it, but would've thought any new stadium would have underground parking etc. The issue with the blandness of drop in pitches being the root system of the grass & how it compresses with a concrete base?

To clarify, it's to do with the concrete base of the pitch, not the ground.

 

[ROOTA#6]

To clarify, it's to do with the concrete base of the pitch, not the ground.

The new curator at the G has changed that this year tho I reckon

 

[bird_man]

The new curator at the G has changed that this year tho I reckon

They still have the concrete base, it will change after this year.

Does the new Perth stadium not have a concrete base? Haven't looked into it, but would've thought any new stadium would have underground parking etc. The issue with the blandness of drop in pitches being the root system of the grass & how it compresses with a concrete base?

The pitch for MCG is in like a concrete tub. It means the pitch struggles to expand and deteriorate etc and holds moisture.

This article explains it a bit.

https://www-espn-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org/v/www.espn.com.au/cricket/story/_/id/25564044/mcg-drop-pitch-upgraded-perth-standard?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&platform=amp&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ==#referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s

 

[Balls In]

Need to transfer the boxing day test to somewhere else. Pitch just doesnt produce adequate test cricket.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Need to transfer the boxing day test to somewhere else. Pitch just doesnt produce adequate test cricket.

But it does produce $$$$$$ and in sport today, that's more important.

 

[Demons09]

But it does produce $$$$$$ and in sport today, that's more important.

And as long as they get 80,000 in through the gates day one who cares.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

And as long as they get 80,000 in through the gates day one who cares.

Not to mention massive TV audiences.

 

[The Passenger]

Beer is the most famous example of a player getting selected because he happened to be mentioned by a high profile commentator.

I don’t recall his name ever even being in the selection conversation until Warney began dropping it over and over again over the course of a few days one summer. Sure enough by the next test, one of the worst players to pull on a baggy green had been picked.

The worst thing is Beer isn't even the worst spinner we picked through that period. He was - however - certainly the most obscure.