• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Should this happen?

Jnr.

Jnr.

First Class Debutant
Dhoni rewards Green Park curator

Kanpur: A grateful Mahendra Singh Dhoni sent a note of thanks and Rs. 10,000 to Green Park stadium’s pitch curator for preparing the turning track that helped India score a series-levelling win over South Africa in the third Test here.

Curator Shiv Kumar said he was pleasantly surprised to receive a personal note of thanks and the cash reward from the stand-in Test skipper.

Kumar said regular Test skipper Anil Kumble, who missed the decider due to a groin injury, also came down to meet and thank him for preparing a “spinner-friendly” pitch.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also met Kumar to praise and thank him. Kumar said that the Green Park wicket was a sporting one. — PTI

I'm surprised no one here has noticed this or said anything about it. What would the media do if say, Smith, offered a cheque to the curator at Johannesburg for preparing a green top? What kind of example is this setting to the rest of the curators in India? Prepare a favourable wicket and get money from the team captain?
 
Briony

Briony

International Debutant
It actually smacks of corruption. But in essence the whole world knew the pitch was 'doctored' in any case.
 
D

DaRick

State Vice-Captain
GeraintIsMyHero said:
Is making your home pitch spin really doctoring it though?
Click to expand...
Well, it could be if the pitch spins an abnormal amount, ala Mumbai 2004 or even Delhi 1996 (both, interestingly, versus Australia; Waugh called the latter pitch a 'masterpiece', designed to take advantage of a weakened Australian team).

Oh yes, BTW, giving a curator money (no matter how insignificant) for preparing 'the right pitch' is a slightly...er...dubious thing to do, no matter how well intentioned. It can give the message that "hey, if we prepare a track that may help India unduly (at least, in theory), we'll get some money". India's seamers, some of which are promising, may also get disheartened and lose focus. As such, India may revert back to the bad ol' days of the 1990's, where they were capable of routing Australia at home but became minnow-standard as soon as they left the comfort of their home country, due to the unfamiliarity of seamers (not to mention batting line-ups) with wickets other than turners.
 
Last edited:
Goughy

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Burgey said:
Surprised at your saying that tbh.

Don't care if the pitch turns, but not a good look for a captain to be doing that imo.
Click to expand...
My only issues would be if it was a clear break of the rules. I dont know if it was.

I think it looks strange, but both teams had to play on the track and we have known for generations that certain places produce pitches to suit the needs of the home team. Is this that different?

Unless the rules legislate against it, then it looks awkward and clumsy rather than sinister.
 
Jono

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
What is 'doctoring a pitch'. Its within a team's rights to have the pitch play to their strengths?

Why he's giving out rewards though is pretty stupid, and I'd rather it not occur. I'm not comfortable, but I don't think its corruption, because they're not trying to cover up anything.
 
D

DaRick

State Vice-Captain
Jono said:
What is 'doctoring a pitch'. Its within a team's rights to have the pitch play to their strengths?
Click to expand...
Well, of course it is acceptable for an Indian curator to prepare a pitch according to perceived Indian team strengths. That is the traditional point of home advantage.

Hmm...I always thought of pitch doctoring as modifying a pitch to the extent where it both plays to a team's strengths to a ridiculous degree and cynically exploits the weaknesses of opposition teams at the same time...well, to the point where there is usually not much chance of a contest occuring. Mumbai 2004 would be a good example, for mine (except for the contest part, but that was due to Indian incompetence against Michael Clarke more than anything - 150 would've been near-impossible to chase on that deck). If your name is Steve Waugh, Delhi 1996 may be another.
 
duffer

duffer

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Really don't see the problem with this. The amount is an absolute pittance as well.
 
Briony

Briony

International Debutant
BhupinderSingh said:
Bull****
Its the right of the home team to prepare any type of wicket helpful to its players.
Click to expand...

Within reason though. Underpreparing it to the extent that it was destined not to last beyond three days is artificially interfering with the game's integrity. Does anyone really think we would have had a carbon copy of that pitch if India was one game up in the series? My guess is it would be a dead surface a la Chennai.
 
ret

ret

International Debutant
It's a nice gesture by Dhoni .... I m glad that the curator was rewarded of coming out with a result giving pitch .... on the other hand, the pitch curator of Chennai should be smacked :p

This is not even as issue, don't know why some are making mountains out of molehills out of this
 
Last edited:
Mr Mxyzptlk

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Once the pitch isn't tampered with after the match starts, there's absolutely nothing immoral about it. Home teams are meant to prepare pitches to suit their game and thus reinforce a home field advantage. India should be preparing pitches that spin as much as possible, because their batsmen are more equipped (as a general rule) than any others to deal with spin bowling. It's not only fair, it's intelligent.
 
Mr Mxyzptlk

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Briony said:
Within reason though. Underpreparing it to the extent that it was destined not to last beyond three days is artificially interfering with the game's integrity.
Click to expand...
How so? Both teams have to bat on the same pitch and there's a toss to decide who bats first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top