Castle Test Series: Curator says Newlands wicket will be batting-friendly
Evan Flint, the curator of the Newlands ground in Cape Town, said that the track for the third and final Test match between South Africa and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 would be a batting friendly one, unlike the pitches for the first
two Tests that jagged around a bit and caused severe problems to the batsmen at different times.
“The pitch won't change too much from previous years,” said Flint. “The match will be played on a good pitch that will last five days. I would love to get the same bounce as grounds like SuperSport Park and the
Wanderers. The type of bounce we get is different; it's more of a tennis-ball bounce.”
The first Test at SuperSport Park saw the tourists bowled out for a dismal 136 on day one of the match, while in the second Test at Durban the hosts were sent packing for 131 on day two of the match. The poor
result at the end cost the hosts the match and their one-nil lead going into the test.
The two teams have also had success with the bat with the hosts amassing a huge score of 620/4 (declared) in the first Test, followed by the Indians posting 459 in their second innings at SuperSport Park. The
scores in Durban were much lower – India scored 205 and 228, while the Proteas managed 131 and 215 as they crashed to an 87-run defeat.
The track for the third Test should come as a relief for the two top-ranked Test teams in the world, which boast some of the best batsman currently in the game.
Flint conceded that the tracks at Newlands - which is known as one of the most picturesque test venues in the world, located close to Table Mountain – generally lacked bounce and were not as pacy as the ones in
the rest of the country. Over the years, some under-prepared wickets have also been dished out at the venue, none more so than the one in an ODI between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in 1993. Pakistan was rolled over for just 43 runs batting first, while the
men from the Caribbean lost only three wickets in their successful chase of the then-lowest total in ODI history.
"I would like to create a surface that South Africa can get a good result on, but I've just got to do the best I can, and hopefully http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 can play to their strengths,” said Flint.
Flint lamented the current lack of sunny weather in Cape Town. “It's still not 100%, which is a little bit disappointing,” he said. “It's been very windy and quite cloudy; a bit cooler than usual, but we still
need another really good day of sun."
The third and final Test match is set to provide riveting action with both teams eyeing a win to seal the deal in the unofficial battle for the number one spot in the ICC’s Test rankings. The Indians, who were
severely criticised for their dismal show in the first Test, came back in the second match to once again prove that under the leadership of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-c73820 they have gelled as a team that can win under any conditions. They have a great chance of pulling
off a win in the series and pushing forward their claims of being the best team in the world – more importantly, a team that can win outside the subcontinent.
After the Test series, the two teams will be locked in a five-match ODI series that will be a dress rehearsal ahead of the 2011 Cricket World Cup 2011, which begins on February 19 in the subcontinent.
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