Prince EWS
Global Moderator
I don't think Coronis was moaning at the time. He's no stranger to having an unpopular take.
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What is your take on pitch doctoring?
- Thread starter subshakerz
- Start date
RossTaylorsBox
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Coronis
International Coach
I don’t understand.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Don't worry. Its not a black and white issue.
My solution to this issue would be to revert to the 18th century rule and allow the visiting team the choice of innings. This would mean that the home team could prepare whatever type of wicket they wanted, only they would know for certain that they would get the worst of it. Over time, this should moderate the most extreme cases.
Blenkinsop
U19 Captain
They trialled something like this in the County Championship a few years back. The away team could choose to field first without a toss. If both teams wanted to bat first there would be a toss. AFAIK it didn't noticeably improve pitches or usher in a golden age of English spin bowling.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
He was softly accusing you of inconsistency by pointing out that a lot of people didn't follow the principle you laid out and had a big ol' whinge when Nagpur was a bunsen even though that had become its identity domestically as well.
But you were just speaking for yourself not the broader dumb cricketing public. It's not inconsistent if other people don't consistently apply your ideas, and you weren't complaining yourself about Nagpur at the time.
It'd be like if you said strike rate in Tests didn't matter much and someone replied with, "Well that doesn't stop people rating Viv second after Bradman" as if they'd caught you out in some kind of double standard.
Was more the general reaction to the pitch prep, not Coronis's.
Where does the extra bounce in places like Australia fall under? Sure, it's due to a few other factors before any pitch preparation occurs but it's not like you can get that level of bounce everywhere else.
Or another way to ask is what is supposed to be normal everywhere? We have guidelines but people (here and elsewhere) are pretty sensitive to a few things that seem to be fine as per the guideline and not other similar factors.
Or another way to ask is what is supposed to be normal everywhere? We have guidelines but people (here and elsewhere) are pretty sensitive to a few things that seem to be fine as per the guideline and not other similar factors.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Preparing pitches that give the home team an advantage is part of cricket, and IMO a good part of it. I not only accept it, I encourage it. If that's what people mean by 'doctoring', then I'm explicitly pro-doctoring.
Preparing pitches that make things too luck-based (particularly relating to the toss) or just too boring are other matters though.
Preparing pitches that make things too luck-based (particularly relating to the toss) or just too boring are other matters though.
This was rather a convoluted system aimed at avoiding extreme green tops rather than directly encouraging spinners. I think though that, as with the pink ball experiment Of around the same time, it was a trial in county cricket of something of greater relevance at test level.
Coronis
International Coach
I mean given the control they do have, they should be using any means to win - whether thats rank turners in India or pace friendly pitches in SA.
Whether they should have that level of control is a different question.
SillyCowCorner1
Moooo
A great player once said, " [Play who (or on what pitch) you want to, we'll still kick your a$$es]"
It's called test cricket for a reason...no cry-babies needed.
It's called test cricket for a reason...no cry-babies needed.
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It's pretty simple. Prepare the best pitch you can under the circumstances and then let the teams go for it. In some places there'll be more turn, others more bounce or seam movement, depending on the local conditions.
Explicitly ordering pitches to suit the home team that are different to what is the norm diminishes the contest before it starts, especially if it's taken to extremes. Only one team has input, and there is zero skill involved (well, curating skills come into it I suppose).
Maybe a solution for teams putting requests in for a certain type of wicket would be to make them prepare it.
Explicitly ordering pitches to suit the home team that are different to what is the norm diminishes the contest before it starts, especially if it's taken to extremes. Only one team has input, and there is zero skill involved (well, curating skills come into it I suppose).
Maybe a solution for teams putting requests in for a certain type of wicket would be to make them prepare it.
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Actually, they could turn the pitch preparation into a Block-style lead up to the match. Both teams prepare wickets. There's a host keeping us enthralled in the process, and everyday one team member gets voted off the curating project until there is one player standing next to the deck they will all play on.
It'd make for a great game - a substandard wicket and 2 teams full of players who are pissed off at each other and the opposition.
It'd make for a great game - a substandard wicket and 2 teams full of players who are pissed off at each other and the opposition.
SillyCowCorner1
Moooo
Oftentimes, the greatest ever players don't give a **** about the nature of the surface, it's what is put up by the opposition that should be primary.
Spin-specialists, seam-specialists. Doesn't matter.
Spin-specialists, seam-specialists. Doesn't matter.
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
It clearly matters. Otherwise teams wouldn't doctor their pitches.
What's the difference between explicit orders and independent curators if the result is the same though, a pitch that favours the home side? And do curators really need external input to give such pitches?
Son Of Coco
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
The part that should favour the home side is that they grew up playing in those conditions and are used to the typical characteristics of the pitches. If the pitch is doctored to amplify or completely change playing characteristics because it benefits the home team, based upon instructions from the team or board (or even if the curator takes it upon themselves to do so to be fair) that is cheating.
Most people of sound mind would agree, which is why PEWS is siding with the devil, much like he does in politics.
