After India’s famous 31-run victory in Adelaide in the opening Test, the action moves to Perth for the second game with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the line for the hosts.
A defeat in Perth for Australia would mean India will retain the trophy and it seems the visitors are set to be welcome by a green, bouncy pitch at the new stadium which is set to host its first Test.
“We’ve just been told make it fast, make it bouncy if you can and run with it,” Brett Sipthorpe, the head curator of Western Australian Cricket Association said on Thursday.
“We’re just trying to produce the bounciest pitch we can.”
“We’re pretty much planning for exactly what we had for the Shield game,” Sipthorpe said.
The Test will be the first played at the new stadium and coach Justin Langer had said it appeared the wicket was similar to the fast track which made its predecessor, the WACA, a haven for pace bowlers.
“I’m really fascinated and can’t wait to see what the wicket brings,” he had told reporters. “There’s only been one four-day game in its history. I went and watched a bit of the NSW versus WA game – there was certainly some pace and bounce there. We’ve also seen some pace and bounce in it during the one-dayers and T20 game.”
The ground recently hosted an ODI between Australia and South Africa and Dale Steyn extracted some steep bounce and carry in that game. The first class game that Langer referred to also helped the quicks, with 32 of the 40 wickets falling to fast bowling, with Jhye Richardson taking 11 wickets. Kurtis Patterson scored a century in the first innings, indicating that there is value of runs early on as well.
“The feedback we got back from the players was terrific, I don’t think I’ve spent so much time talking to players during a game but we just wanted to garner as much feedback as we could from the players, the curator added.
“We didn’t get any negatives from them, they were all really positive about it. We’re pretty much aiming for the exact same moisture content, and we’re hoping for the exact same pace and bounce.”
Weather is supposed to play a key role in this game as well, with temperatures expected to be close to 40 degrees celsius on the opening day. The new stadium wouldn’t receive the breeze (The Freemantle Doctor) that was prominent at the old WACA Ground, but the curator spoke of the ball swinging throughout the first class game because of the air current locked in by the closed structure.
“They’ve had all the talk about pace and bounce and movement, but how long can you sustain heavy pressure in 38 degrees?” he said.
“That’s the challenge. If you win the toss do you bowl and make the most of the conditions, or do you think – actually, we’re going to be pretty tired after 50 overs in 38 degrees?”
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