India vs Australia | Leaving grass on pitch brings balance between bat and ball, asserts Adelaide curator
Getty
Adelaide Oval curator Damien Hough has stated that he wants the balance between bat and ball during the first Test and by leaving some grass on the pitch will help get that. He added that there is no reason to change the thick grass coverage that was there for the pink ball during day-night Tests.
Adelaide Oval had a thick grass cover on the pitch during the last three day-night Tests to protect the pink Kookaburra ball and the curator doesnât want to change it for the first Test of the series starting on December 6. The pacers in both the teams will be delighted with the statement from the curator ahead of the opening game of the four-match Test series.Â
"We do the same preparation for red-ball cricket and pink-ball cricket at Shield level. The best way to get an even contest is to leave some grass on there and get that balance between bat and ball. Right now, we really feel that this is where itâs at for the pitch," Hough told The Weekend Australian.
"We wonât do anything differently. The preparation will be the same. The only difference is we get the covers off earlier and we start earlier.â
The first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand went on for only three days while the next one against the Proteas went on for four days. England also played a Test match at the Adelaide Oval last year and went on till the first session of the final day. All these three matches had a lush green grass covering on the business area to nullify the wear and tear on the pink ball which is used for the Test matches under lights.
