Pitch Bitch.

[hang on]

Apropos of some cricket pitches (or was it only the batting?) in the recent past, the mind trots on to the bad pitches that one has seen....

Topping the list would be a couple in the windies where tests were abandoned in the last decade and half. But what about others that have been roundly criticised? Mumbai in the final frontier series? Kanpur? This one? The Lankan first test in the last series? These are just recent ones.

Let's have a chunter about pitches, for good or bad: what would be the top 5 worst pitches that you have seen? (And I do not mean the sorts where 700 plays 600 borefests.)

 

[smash84]

I think this SA vs Aus pitch is pretty awesome. I think it has more to do with bad batting than having demons in the pitch

 

[hang on]

i agree. it is a challenging pitch but nothing more than that.

what about the first test in lanka a month ago?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Far more to do with batsmen not having technique to cope with the moving ball as they are so used to placid pitches which give the bowlers nothing. Australia have shown time and again in recent years if the ball swings or seams they collapse (Pakistan and England exploited it, now SA) but SA was perhaps a surprise.

 

[miscer]

other than the ones that are abandoned due to safety issues, i hold the opinion that no pitch is a bad pitch. in fact the deadlier, the better!

 

[hang on]

given the oodles of protection that batsmen have these days, can any pitches actually be considered really dangerous?

 

[silentstriker]

People just throw a whinge because they aren't good enough to bat on a surface. The only bad pitch is a dangerous pitch or a pitch that never looks like it's going to give a result. A pitch that will certainly give a result within 2 days would be bad but I haven't seen that mythical creature yet.

Worst pitch I saw? Hmm maybe that second test in Pakistan vs India where most 3rd xi batting lineups would have made 600.

 

[Furball]

i agree. it is a challenging pitch but nothing more than that.

what about the first test in lanka a month ago?

Perhaps a bit too dusty for day 1 but I thought that pitch was fine.

 

[hang on]

thought that it was fine too. excellent where batsmen have to really play well to score.

 

[hang on]

A pitch that will certainly give a result within 2 days would be bad but I haven't seen that mythical creature yet.

this one will certainly give in a result in 180 overs.

 

[morgieb]

Worst pitch I saw was the Mumbai pitch. Australia doesn't do 600 v 600 pitches.

 

[hang on]

Australia doesn't do 600 v 600 pitches.

true. just 517/1 pitches.

 

[morgieb]

And I think I speak for most of CW by saying that this pitch is actually awesome. Well, it's ****ing refreshing from a pitch like the one in the third test in Sri Lanka.

 

[morgieb]

true. just 517/1 pitches.

We also got them out of 240 on that pitch though.

 

[keeper]

This was an interesting one. Not just for being bowler friendly but for an odd mottled, multicoloured surface. Remember Robin Smith getting battered and his innings was really quite heroic.

Still, Windies batted okay on it and I don't think the wicket explained the last innings massacre.

3rd Test: England v West Indies at Birmingham, Jul 6-8, 1995 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Cevno]

Worst pitch I saw was the Mumbai pitch..

And this match will probably end in less overs than that match(even about 30 overs less).

I am not sure how this pitch is awesome, and that one is the worst?

 

[hang on]

We also got them out of 240 on that pitch though.

that is true. but you also scored a humongous amount of runs! was a pretty batting friendly pitch.

but, u are right. 600 vs 600 with a match ending in a draw is ****. 600 vs 300 and 200 is fine.

 

[Furball]

Worst pitch I saw was the Mumbai pitch. Australia doesn't do 600 v 600 pitches.

Adelaide is one of the worst pitches in international cricket.

 

[Furball]

And this match will probably end in less overs than that match(even about 30 overs less).

I am not sure how this pitch is awesome, and that one is the worst?

Because the Mumbai pitch saw a part timer in Michael Clarke turning the ball square.

 

[smash84]

And I think I speak for most of CW by saying that this pitch is actually awesome. Well, it's ****ing refreshing from a pitch like the one in the third test in Sri Lanka.

awta

the worst pitches have to be the UAE ones.