Australia vs Sri Lanka - Hobart pitch was a minefield says Ford – Cricket News Update
Following a 137-run defeat at Hobart against Australia, Sri Lankan coach, Graham Ford, tagged the Bellerive Oval pitch a “minefield” on the final day.
Looking at Sri Lanka’s history at Hobart (where http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779’s 192 helped them reach 410 in 2007), chasing a Target of 393 runs was not out of the visitors’ reach (in 4 sessions). However, this year the touring side’s chances of upsetting the home team took a hit after the pitch started to wear out on the final day (threatening their survival, let alone victory).
“If we just look at the last day, I am unbelievably proud of the performance the boys put in. That surface really became a minefield. It was very difficult. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Graham-Xavier-Ford-c60657.
On the final day, the cracks in the surface started to widen and the pitch became more un-even by each session. Confused between ducking and playing a delivery by left-armer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HAPW-Jayawardene-c1529, also bore fierce blows to their ribcages.
Overall content with the track’s behaviour during the first 4 days, Ford believes that the pitch started favouring the bowling side on the final day, surviving which was very challenging (and a bit unfair as well).
The touring skipper, Mahela Jayawardene, also revealed that the track’s unpredictability on the 5th day was a huge challenge that the visitors faced.
“It was a challenging wicket. Before the Test started a lot of things were spoken about this wicket and it was suggested teams wouldn't last for three days,” shared http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 (1-0 down in the 3-match series) will be looking to bounce back, expecting the track at Melbourne Cricket Ground to play better than Hobart, on December 26, 2012.
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