Set the right pitch to win, not to last...

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.

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.