Steve Smith describes Gabba's pitch is the most difficult to play in Australia
Steve Smith said the Gabba pitch was the hardest wicket to hit after Australia won the 1st Test against South Africa by 6 wickets on day two.
Cricket PassionEditor
Posted - 2022-12-21T13:48:24+06:00
Updated - 2022-12-21T13:48:24+06:00
Steve Smith has described the Gabba Green top as the most difficult surface he has encountered in Australia. He expects MCG's circumstances to be more favorable for batting.
Steve Smith identified the Gabba pitch as the most difficult wicket after Australia completed the first Test against South Africa on day two and hoped the conditions at the MCG would accommodate the batters in the second Test.
South Africa were shattered in Brisbane when 34 wickets fell in just two days to open the blockbuster series, making it the shortest Test on Australian soil in 91 years.
The ICC took a bleak look at the game, which only lasted six sessions, with match umpire Richie Richardson calling the Gabba pitch "below average" and saying it was "not an even fight between bat and ball".
Smith would like greater support for batsmen in the Boxing Day Test despite Australia's 1-0 lead after a six-wicket win.
"As a batsman, I would like to have a little less," he said in Melbourne on Wednesday. “I think it's a good balance just trying to get that even competition between the racquet and the ball. It [the gabba] was probably the toughest wicket I've played here in Australia."
In his post-match press conference, South Africa captain Dean Elgar described the surface as dangerous and during the last session asked the referees if it wasn't safe to continue play. Smith said there were times during the game when he was surprised.
"I think there were a couple of instances where the ball did things that just came out of nowhere," Smith said. “Some balls sat in the wicket and made divots, some shot through and it was just incredibly difficult to hit again. Whether it was unsafe or not I can't really say, but it certainly wasn't easy to beat."
Cricket Peter Roach, the head of cricket operations for Australia, has accepted the ICC's conclusion that the gabba pitch is too conducive to fast bowling.
"We encourage all of our games to look at how we're finding the right balance well into Day Four," Roach told reporters. “We say we're not disappointed when a game goes into day five; The late fourth day gives the game a chance to go a little further.”
Last year's Boxing Day Test ended on day three before lunch when Scott Boland broke England's battering lineup 6-7 on the debut in the second innings.
But it's only been five years since the MCG were beaten with a 'poor' rating after a boring draw that saw just 24 wickets taken over five days.
Roach said MCG curator Matt Page will not change his preparations based on what happened at the Gabba.
Smith looked slightly confused when told there would be no message from CA to make it more batting friendly at the MCG said it all.
"[Last year's MCG Test] lasted three days, was a tough weekend and this year we've got two really good bowling attacks again so we're going to summarize the conditions and try to play accordingly," Smith said.