Green wickets or longer Tests make for Ashes dilemma
Scott Bailey |
Australia’s dream Ashes wickets could prove an administrator’s nightmare, with growing concerns over England’s ability to deploy Bazball on lively pitches.
Curators are set to face a delicate balance this summer, with Australian players publicly calling for greener wickets that offer plenty of assistance for quicks.
At the same time, Cricket Australia is banking on this summer being a big money-spinner after posting almost $60 million in losses over the past three years, with the potential of the series breaking all-time attendance records.
The first three days in Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney have already sold out, as well as the first two in Perth and Boxing Day in Melbourne.
Limited tickets also only remain for day four in Sydney, while both Adelaide and Brisbane are tracking well for that day.
But for any records to be broken, matches will need to go the distance.
Both the Adelaide and Sydney Tests were over inside three days last summer, while Perth was also wrapped up on the fourth day.
That continued a trend of the past four summers, with wickets becoming more bowler-friendly and only six Tests going to day five in that time.
At the same time, Australia’s players have made no secret of their desire for seaming wickets, believing it could be England’s kryptonite.
Asked recently about the balance curators were facing this summer, Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg indicated his organisation would not interfere.
“If I could get the roller out myself, I’d be on it,” Greenberg quipped.
“There’s competing demands in Australian cricket and I understand that.
“There’s the performance demands and what might suit the team’s best. There’s commercial returns, which are really important.
“But ultimately, I think what we want to see is in every city that the wickets play like they should and there’s a great balance between bat and ball.”
The average of top-six batters in Australia has dropped by 10 runs per player this decade, down to 31.93 from 41.47 in the 2010s and 42.39 in the 2000s.
At the same time, England have moved towards flatter wickets at home under Brendan McCullum, with a game plan geared at putting pressure back on bowlers.
“Probably the last three or four (home) summers have had a bit of life, I think,” Steve Smith said last month.
“So I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re pretty similar to be honest.
“I think England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play.
“So if there’s a bit in it like there has been in the last three or four years with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters.”
Australia have turned their eyes entirely towards the Ashes, with Travis Head to skip the final two T20s against India to play in the next round of Sheffield Shield.
England’s first batch of players also touched down in Perth on Monday, after concerns over their ability to fire on bowler-friendly wickets was exacerbated in their 3-0 ODI series loss to New Zealand.
Albeit in a different format, England were bowled out for 223, 175 and 222 in the three losses, with up to five of their top seven for the Ashes playing.
More worrying for the tourists will be the fact they fell to 5-33, 5-81 and 5-44 on the seaming wickets, with only the in-form Harry Brook finding a way to score runs.
AAP
