What is wrong with doctoring of pitch ?

[Sunil1z]

^apologies - d/n test

This is understandable tbh . We played D/N at Adelaide . 2 D/N Test in a series is too much .

 

[Shri]

Perhaps doing away with the toss and offering the visiting sided the choice of batting or bowling

yes this is good

 

[shortpitched713]

No it can, and the vast majority of the time does, happen well before the game

In which case the same pitch is available to both sets of players, and thus fair, QED, cry more.

 

[shortpitched713]

I'm confused as to why the Australian batting side shitting the bed in one match, is suddenly being seen as a reason to mess with time tested traditions of how the game is played. Or somehow goes to show how every home side is becoming an impenetrable fortress, unless we do something. I don't think there's any data here that supports such an overreaction.

 

[Son Of Coco]

It's pretty simple. Prepare a pitch that is the best you can prepare given the usual conditions and, of course, the weather. 'Home advantage' doesn't refer to being in the curator's ear to get whatever you want prepared. It's the fact that the home team has grown up in the conditions, playing on the same pitches, and is used to whatever tricks they play. In all likelihood, they also have a better array of players at their disposal to take advantage of these conditions.

When the typical conditions are similar in the two countries that are playing each other (see Australia and South Africa), then it can be a lottery in terms of who wins home or away. When they are vastly different (like Australia in India), it can be carnage for the away team, especially given the short tours these days with little time to adapt.

 

[shortpitched713]

When the typical conditions are similar in the two countries that are playing each other (see Australia and South Africa), then it can be a lottery in terms of who wins home or away. When they are vastly different (like Australia in India), it can be carnage for the away team, especially given the short tours these days with little time to adapt.

This is not a new feature of the game. It's been going on for decades in favor of all different home sides. So you'll excuse me if I'm suspicious of the timing, and find it rather a salty knee jerk from Australian fans devastated at their side's **** getting pushed in in a given match, rather a reasoned analysis of an overall situation taking multiple sides interests into consideration.

 

[shortpitched713]

'Home advantage' doesn't refer to being in the curator's ear to get whatever you want prepared.

According to who?

Also how do we know this hasn't been already being done over a long period of time throughout the history of cricket behind closed doors, and thus is baked in to what you would consider "acceptable home advantage"?

 

[Chrish]

Fine as long as it’s not something like that NM pink ball game; completely underprepared..

 

[Shri]

pitch doctoring is when 120 plays 110

when its 177 plays 400 noobs should just get good

 

[Senile Sentry]

Doctoring the pitch means to make significant changes to it mid-match to favor one side or the other. Something like picking the fibers of a jute matting pitch, or for a normal soil and grass wicket over-watering between innings, or excessive use of heavy roller between innings.

As far as I know, there's no evidence that such a thing occurs, at least in recent times. On the other hand, preparing a pitch from beforehand to suit one's home side is not doctoring, and perfectly legitimate, for mine. Any other takes on that are just delicious salt water, to which I can only respond "get reckd , and git gud noob".

They do allow use of rollers don't they ? But it is equitable and offered to both teams before their respective innings commences (in addition to before each day's play starts). There is a time limit.

 

[Senile Sentry]

It's pretty simple. Prepare a pitch that is the best you can prepare given the usual conditions and, of course, the weather. 'Home advantage' doesn't refer to being in the curator's ear to get whatever you want prepared. It's the fact that the home team has grown up in the conditions, playing on the same pitches, and is used to whatever tricks they play. In all likelihood, they also have a better array of players at their disposal to take advantage of these conditions.

When the typical conditions are similar in the two countries that are playing each other (see Australia and South Africa), then it can be a lottery in terms of who wins home or away. When they are vastly different (like Australia in India), it can be carnage for the away team, especially given the short tours these days with little time to adapt.

Agree with uour second paragraph which makes Indias successive series wins truly freakish and probably once in a century event may even! Given the vast differences in the playing surfaces that India and Aus present!

 

[Senile Sentry]

pitch doctoring is when 120 plays 110

when its 177 plays 400 noobs should just get good

There can be one off events like the cape Town test of 2011. When Aus rolled out SA for 96 and then SA rolled out Aus for 47. Pitch actually turned out to be a belter with SA comfortably chasing down 236 in the 4th innings for just 2 wickets loss.

 

[Shri]

There can be one off events like the cape Town test of 2011. When Aus rolled out SA for 96 and then SA rolled out Aus for 47. Pitch actually turned out to be a belter with SA comfortably chasing down 236 in the 4th innings for just 2 wickets loss.

those tracks are worse than asian pitches

chasing teams have a clear advantage and toss plays a huge role

asian pitches are the same for everyone if it is a genuine turner

 

[Senile Sentry]

those tracks are worse than asian pitches

chasing teams have a clear advantage and toss plays a huge role

asian pitches are the same for everyone if it is a genuine turner

Thata a lot of generalizations. Asian pitches can't really be bucketed and is a very convenient (and wrong) perpetuated by English and Australian pundits.

Pakistan for example traditionally have made pitches that assisted pace bowlers (,it's a pity they are now making all roads to save their batters). Even then, the Faisalabad pitch is not same as Karachi one. With India, there is no comparison. Pitches vary in big degrees across the length and breadth of the country and also, based on the time of the year. But I digress

The Cape Town pitch was nothing bad. Two teams spectacularly imploded for no real reason (at least conditions wise) back to back, which makes it even a rarer occurrence. Akin to Adelaide 2020, when India despite being in front of the game at the point, got all out for 36 despite the pitch staying more or less the same. These things happen.

I remember reading cricviz stats after the infamous Gabba test vs SA which statistically noted no really divergence in the behavior of the pitch from what was expected.

 

[shortpitched713]

They do allow use of rollers don't they ? But it is equitable and offered to both teams before their respective innings commences (in addition to before each day's play starts). There is a time limit.

Hence I mentioned excessive use. I.e the away side just finished batting, put up a low, but reasonable total, and then you roll out excessively and flatten all the life out of the pitch before your home side has to bat, or even secretly between days. Something like that would be definite pitch doctoring, as it would be intervention made to unnaturally alter the pitch so that both sides in essence don't have to play on the same pitch over the course of the match.

On the other hand, tailor making a pitch before the match starts, so as to highlight the strengths of your home side and the weaknesses of the away side, is just good old fashioned competition, and has been going on since yonks ago.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Hence I mentioned excessive use. I.e the away side just finished batting, put up a low, but reasonable total, and then you roll out excessively and flatten all the life out of the pitch before your home side has to bat, or even secretly between days. Something like that would be definite pitch doctoring, as it would be intervention made to unnaturally alter the pitch so that both sides in essence don't have to play on the same pitch over the course of the match.

Tailor making a pitch before hand to highlight the strengths of your home side and the weaknesses of the away side, is just good old fashioned competition, and has been going on since yonks ago.

Yes agree rolling the pitch for more than 7 minutes tantamount to breaking regulations and would be illegal.

And yes home teams should have full authority to ask for what pitch they want. I have seen that Australian team does not have a say for matches played at home. I think that is unfortunate and should change.

 

[TheJediBrah]

In which case the same pitch is available to both sets of players, and thus fair, QED, cry more.

Settle down I'm just correcting your mistake

 

[Burgey]

This is understandable tbh . We played D/N at Adelaide . 2 D/N Test in a series is too much .

It was the tour before last

 

[Ashes81]

The lack of practice matches against proper opposition on proper surfaces is more a problem than home teams producing favourable pitches.

Australia didn't give themselves the best chance of tackling India as the squad flew in after weeks of the BBL and played against Jadeja and Co without a warm up match.

Home countries should be made to provide competitive opposition for touring sides to play and provide decent surfaces to play on.

Take Travis Head for example. If he plays in the next Test what chance does he realistically have. His last innings were in the BBL in Oz and he'***pected to play in a test in India against top quality spinners without any practice out in the middle.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Agree with uour second paragraph which makes Indias successive series wins truly freakish and probably once in a century event may even! Given the vast differences in the playing surfaces that India and Aus present!

India's development of some exceptional fast bowlers has helped them in Australian conditions. Australia has almost never managed to work it out when it comes to what is required to compete in India.