Pitch charactistics in your country

[morgieb]

Inspired by a discussion of pitch conditions on another forum, what are the main conditions/characteristics of the wickets in your country?

For Australia:

* Gabba - lots of bounce but not quite to the extent of the WACA, always something in it for the bowlers but there are runs on offer if you can take your opportunities and get set. Gets the most rain of any Australian ground so pitches can vary due to lack of preparation - I have seen real roads come out of the Gabba, I have seen greentops too. Also worth noting that unlike the WACA, the bounce here suits spinners as well as quicks - it was Shane Warne's best ground in Australia.
* WACA - probably the bounciest wicket in the world, but in a way that only quicks can exploit it. For a few years was a road. Notouriously hard to get set on but you get full value for your shots if you get set.
* Adelaide - has a case of being the biggest road in the world. Often takes turn on the last two days though so an obvious bat first pitch. Pretty much every Australian batsmen you can think has an amazing record here.
* Hobart - used to be an Adelaide-esque road. These days however (especially a couple of years ago) Bellerive is the greenest wicket in Australia, a fast-bowling haven. Don't remember if this has changed since CA stepped in to try to stop result wickets at Shield level, especially given we haven't played Tests there recently.
* MCG - a drop-in, accordingly lower and slower than most Australian wickets (though still has more pace than the majority of the wickets around the world). Tends to be pretty good for batting but there's generally something in it for the bowlers.
* SCG - traditionally a real turner, but these days this isn't really true. For the most part the pitch varies IIRC, can be a greentop (that Test against Pakistan), can also be very flat (pretty much every Test we've played there against India in recent years).
* Manuka - smallest wicket in Australia that they play internationals at IIRC, therefore in ODI's the ground is generally a run fest.

 

[Athlai]

Nice try Australia. We're not going to do your homework for you. Get better at preparing for a tour shunts.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Wouldn't necessarily say there's been consistent pitch preparation in New Zealand for recent years. It used to be horses for courses selections, now its courses for horses pitch preparation.

 

[mr_mister]

Good for batting

 

[Hurricane]

Napier is a road
University oval is deluged with rain every year and is a no result
The basin is the garden of Eden except their toilets which would be embarrassing for a third world country if good company came visiting

 

[Zinzan]

Yeah, it's hard to generalise on NZ wickets over the last 20 years or so since I've been watching.

 

[Kippax]

Here you go, Morgie -

The South Island has a lot of Waikari clay pitches. Moderate bounce, getting even more docile and easy for batting on days 4 and 5. Ideal for the Fultons and Rutherfords, front-foot players who give it a hard nudge.

 

[Riggins]

* Manuka - smallest wicket in Australia that they play internationals at IIRC, therefore in ODI's the ground is generally a run fest.

Pretty sure it's the identical dimensions to the MCG.

 

[Flem274*]

road, unless you're an asian side, then day one green top followed by road.

 

[Migara]

Sri Lanka

SSC (Colombo)- Good pace and bounce, but no turn, no lateral movement, and the enviorment dictates that there is no swing too. Perfect road. Used to be pretty fast and bouncy and a sporting track, but pitch has died after 50 years of use.

RPS (Colombo) - Slow, low and spin friendly. Massive scores guaranteed almost all the time. Extremely humid and poor ventilation to the ground as well.

PSS (Colombo) - Plenty of pace and bounce and quick, vicious turn on wearing pitches. A result oriented wicket.

Galle - spinners paradise, with a dustbowl guaranteed every time. Usually batting gets easier on 2 - 4 days.

Asgiriya (Kandy) - Pace, bounce and grass. Some serious movement with the new ball on first morning. Many teams have capitulated by tea time due to the late swing offered for fast bowlers. No longer plays tests.

Pallekele (Kandy) - Easily the quickest pitch in SL. Some assistance for seam bowlers. 1st and 2nd days usually difficult and becomes a road by day 5.

Hambantota - Pretty flat wicket, some good pace and bounce.

Dambulla - seam movement off the pitch, turn and bounce and this is bowlers paradise. The soil is so unstable it crumbles within 24 hours. When watered too much, it becomes a green mamba for the batsman.

Welegedara (Kurunegala) - A flat pitch. No help for faster bowlers due to bone dry climate. Some spin at the fag end of the match

De Soysa (Moratuwa) - Not a test ground currently, but once again a spin paradise.

Radella (Nuwara Eliya) - One of the most picturesque grounds. Temperature is about 17 instead of 30. Slow low pitch and facilities are pretty ****. But plenty of swing on offer and it's very challenging for batsmen to face faster bowlers if they bowl wicket to wicket.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pretty sure it's the identical dimensions to the MCG.

Haha yeah every so often people make crap posts assuming it's small because it's a relatively minor venue. Flat pitch but huge ground.

 

[weldone]

Has India ever played in Manuka Oval? I don't remember that.

 

[Hurricane]

The people of CW want Weldone to answer the OP. Would be interested to hear about Indian pitches.

 

[England First]

I love this thread. Not enough replies. I’d love to hear someone do West Indies India and South Africa. Here’s my attempt at England’s 6 most used test grounds. And I’m going for traditionally not currently.
Also this isn’t taking into account for groundsmen preparing green tops and rank turners. This is a general analysis of England’s pitches.
Lords
It’s the best ground for seam movement in England. It often nips about everywhere. Swing depends on the weather and cloud cover. Not much spin at all. Often gets flatter and better to bat on day 2 and 3.
Oval
It’s the best ground for spin in England. The driest wicket in England. Will break up on day 4 and 5. Has a nice consistent bounce for the quicks but not much swing or seam movement. On days 1 2 and 3 it’s the best batting track in England.
Headingley
The best ground for swing in England. The moisture in the air and on the wicket really help quick bowlers. Batsmen can really struggle here if it’s overcast but if the suns out and not cloudy it turns into a road. Spinners don’t have much help at Leeds either.
Trent bridge
An absolute road unless it’s cloudy and then it swings around corners and batsmen really struggle. Can take spin on day 4 and 5. Literally like Headingley it really does depend on the weather here.
Old trafford
Just a nice traditional English wicket that offers everybody a chance. First 2 days it seams and then on days 34 and 5 it really drys out well and spins. The bounciest track in England also. I really carries through. Batting can be difficult throughout really but good players manage really enough.
Edgbaston
Its had its fair amounts of green tops over the years and it does zip around off the surface. And it’s the best ground in England for reverse swing. That really comes into play here for some reason. It has a nice consistent bounce also. Batting again can be pretty tough at times.

England is a cricket nation where weather plays a massive part. In general if it’s cloudy, overcast and moisture in the air it will zip around, seam and swing. But if it’s dry and sunny we really do produce subcontinent style roads and batting can be easy.

If anyone disagrees please feel free to correct me.

 

[Daemon]

Artificial

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Providence, Guyana: slow, spinner friendly.

Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago: slow, slightly faster than Providence. Sometimes a road.

Kensington Oval, Barbados : has become something of a pacer paradise in recent years.

Warner Park, St. Kitts : batters love it

Darren Sammy Stadium, St. Lucia : most balanced (between bat and ball)wicket in the region.

Sabina Park, Jamaica : that famous mirror-like surface. Was a pace friendly wicket, but slowly changing it's identity.

Sir Viv Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda : cracks open up easily..causes havoc for set batsmen.