How to win at the WACA

Marlin01

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I've been watching test cricket at the WACA for over 20 years now and I've seen the same errors made by both Australian teams and touring sides every year. The WACA is an extremely fast and bouncy pitch and it makes for quite a unique game of cricket. I believe it's a fantastic cricket pitch, because it requires perfect technique and execution from both batsman and bowlers. Get your execution right and you look like a star, get it wrong and you will be severely punished.

Batting

- The bounce at the WACA is very true at least for the first 3 days, so you can leave any ball that pitches short of a good length.

- exagerated footwork is required. When you go forward, go right forward. When you go back, go right back. Playing from the crease is death.

- playing the ball with an angled bat is disaster. Forget about pushing the ball through covers off the back foot. It's either got to be a front foot drive, a cut, a pull or a hook. No trying to steer the ball into gaps, except off the pads obviously.

- The ball will definitely nip around a lot during the first session day 1. If the batting team loses 3 wickets before lunch, that's about par. The team batting first must bat defensively for the first session, leaving as many balls around off-stump as possible, but punishing short deliveries. If they go to lunch 1 or 2 wickets down, they are well on their way to a very good score, as the sideways movement disappears.

- when playing an attacking shot, particularly off the back foot, swing at 100%. Top edges go for 6. Edges from timid efforts will get caught behind.

Bowling

- You must use the new ball. If you don't get early wickets, you are in for hours of pain in hot, dry conditions, which increasingly suit the batsman.

- The most common error any bowling team can make at the WACA is to get excited by the bounce and bowl too short. Making a top-order batsman jump around like a cat on a hot-tin roof may stroke a fast bowlers ego, but it's unlikely to result in wickets. In fact, it's likely to result in top edges that go for 4 or 6. Bowling short negates the benefit of the extra bounce you can surprise a batsman with, when they go to play on the front foot.

- Bowling into the wind. The forecast is for relatively light winds, but you can rest assured at some stage over the 5 days, the Fremantle doctor will be gusting up. This suits right arm medium-fast out-swing bowlers to perfection.

Fielding

- have a fine 3rd man, not only will they save a heap of runs, but they're also a realistic catching position off a fast bowler. If that means no cover, so be it.

- have the slips well back. far more balls will blast through slips then will fall short. You can have wider gaps between your slips as the carry will give you time to move to the ball.

Anyway, that's my 2c worth, I look forward to seeing which team sticks to the rules.
 

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Belnakor

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#2
I would also mention that the outfield is not unlike an ice rink, which means that fielders can't guard as wide an area, the ball takes off along the ground. If you don't take wickets at the WACA you will conceed runs, simply because the reward for any shot is very high.
 

Marlin01

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I would also mention that the outfield is not unlike an ice rink, which means that fielders can't guard as wide an area, the ball takes off along the ground. If you don't take wickets at the WACA you will conceed runs, simply because the reward for any shot is very high.
That's a good point. The WACA outfield is always quick, but in the T20's this season it's been absolutely lightning.
 

The Passenger

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#4
bowling short has always been the killer for the quicks. it's understandable cause you get excited by the bounce.... need to use the extra bounce that pitching it up gives you. batsmen will be driving off the top half of the bat all day and what happens balls are bound to start flying to the slips.
 

Tassieboy

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#8
Interestingly for someone who used to be so good against fast bowling, the WACA is Ponting's worst ground in Australia. He has scored 946 runs @ 43. Still not bad, however.
 

glenferry23

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#9
Interestingly for someone who used to be so good against fast bowling, the WACA is Ponting's worst ground in Australia. He has scored 946 runs @ 43. Still not bad, however.
and could've had a century on debut! given lbw on 96 to a ball that was going a foot over the stumps

sharma worked ponting over 4 years ago, got him out both times including that famous spell in the second innings. this time i get the feeling a few indian batsmen will get a working over. but if sachin continues to play his uppercut over the slips, he could rack up a few sixes
 

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#12
There are a few of our guys who I think would struggle to bat on the WACA
Intersted to see how Clarke goes. His record in Perth isn't disasterous but nothing to write home about either;

6 Tests 451 runs Avge 41.00 H.S 135*

It's also a concern that neither of our opening partnership have played a test on one the bounciest pitches in the world.

If Lyon plays he should mainly be used when the sea breeze is gusting. If he bowls from the Prindiville end it should help him to drop and curve the ball away from the Indian right handers.

If he's used when the light easterly is in he'll be cannon fodder. He'll be getting very little fom the wind and nothing from the pitch.
 
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