While last week’s Test Match at Trent Bridge may have
provided us with some memorable moments in the form of Jimmy Anderson’s
brilliant score of 81 in a last wicket stand with the impressive Joe Root, and
also Alistair Cook’s maiden Test Match wicket, the main talking point has been
the lifeless pitch.
A game of cricket is hugely dependent on the surface that it
is played on. It can affect the team that is selected, the decision to bat or
bowl, the shots that might be played or the fielding positions for each bowler.
I cannot think of another sport where the playing surface itself is so
changeable and therefore so influential in deciding not only the pattern of the
game but also the result.
At Trent Bridge, there is no doubt that the surface was not
particularly helpful to the home side in allowing them to take the 20 wickets
needed for a Test victory. However, here in lies a direct conflict.
Nottinghamshire CCC, have a main objective to make the Test Match last all five
days. For the commercial outlay they are making in bringing the match the Trent
Bridge, they cannot afford for the match to be over inside three days. I went
to watch on the fifth day, and with a healthy crowd and the beer flowing, the
club must have made a significant profit on the match as a whole.
Now the focus moves to Lords where the pressure is on the
groundsman to produce a faster, bouncier pitch that will be better suited to
the England bowling attack. However, the difficultly then raises its head that
if it does too much for the bowlers the game could be over quickly.
It is often said that a ‘good pitch’ is one that lots of
runs can be scored on. However, that is not a good surface for all players, it
is a good surface for batting! The real skill in producing a cricket pitch is
creating one that gives the seam/swing bowlers something to work with while
still playing true and coming onto the bat for the batsman. It then needs to
offer some turn as the game progresses to bring the slow bowlers into the
match.
At Kimberley, we are very lucky to have Stewart Burrows and
his fantastic team of groundstaff who put so much work into producing not just
good batting wickets, but good cricket wickets. Internationally, the best Test
wicket in my opinion is at Old Trafford, where it brings all facets into the
game, although I may be a little biased being a Lancastrian! With the bidding
system they now use for international matches though, not enough focus I feel
is given to using the correct grounds for the right opponents, and the
financial fear of the match not going 5 days forces the hand of many
groundsmen.
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| Old Trafford provides a great wicket for Test Cricket |
There is no doubt, the bidding system has forced many
grounds to improve their facilities, Old Trafford and Headingley casing
examples, and that was much needed. However, the ECB will find it much easier
to promote the game in this country if the England team are winning, and after
9 matches without a Test win, it might be worth risking a four day finish to
get a W on the board.
