AUS vs NZ | Flat pitches huge problem for health of cricket, opines Justin Langer
Australia head coach Justin Langer believes that flat pitches or pitches that favour either the bat or ball too much are a huge problem for the health of the game. Langer added that he is happy with the current Australian pitches as they are setting up some exciting contests between bat and ball.
With the abandonment of the Sheffield Shield game at the MCG — a week before Australia’s first Test against New Zealand — there is plenty of chatter about Australian pitches once again. But given the recent problems with lacklustre pitches, the national team head coach understands why groundsman Matt Page went too far and prepared a pitch that started too soft.
"It's been very well documented what happened at the MCG this week, but I know they are trying to push it so they get a contest back because we don't want to see cricket anywhere in the world, in my opinion, on flat wickets which are batsman-dominated, it's just not spectacle. I see flat pitches as a huge problem for the health of cricket," Langer said, reported ESPNCricinfo.
"The pink ball under lights is trying to keep some great life in Test cricket, but the most important thing for me is to get the wickets right so there's a contest between bat and ball, whether it's spin, seam, swing, pace and bounce," he added.
In terms of the percentage of drawn Tests in the country, Australia has the third-lowest proportion (16.98%) behind South Africa (12.76%) and England (14.49%).
"I don't know what the statistics are, but I think Australian wickets are going pretty well. There's a lot of focus on the MCG at the moment because of the last few years of Test cricket, and that's good that's happening because we want to see good wickets. But overall I think the wickets in Australia are excellent,” Langer noted.
For the next few days at least, the intrigue shifts to the new Perth Stadium, with questions surrounding the nature of the pitch that will be laid out for the second Test to be staged at the new Perth Stadium. Although it was only rated 'average' by the ICC, the surface had made a promising start against India last year and Langer hopes that will continue against the Kiwis as well.
"Last year against India, it's exactly what we're looking for in Test cricket. There was a result, it was entertaining cricket. It was fast and bouncy," Langer said.
"Traditionally in Perth when it gets hot you get cracks in the wicket. I'm sure there will be cracks that open up and it's usually part of the drama that is a contest here in WA. I think it's going to be a very good wicket. Hopefully, there is some pace and bounce, hopefully, there is a contest because that's what we need in Test cricket," Langer added.