Aus v India 4th test at Muambi

[Beny]

Mumbai pitch comes in for scrutiny

Wisden Cricinfo staff

October 23, 2004









After the crushing loss to Australia at Nagpur, much of the attention has turned to the pitch in Mumbai. The strip at the Wankhede Stadium has evoked mixed reaction from the various people who have examined it closely.

MS Rao, the curator in charge of the ground, said: "I will describe it as a good batting wicket," to The Indian Express newspaper. "We have meticulously watered and rolled it. It will also have bounce and turn as the match progresses." He is also supposed to have called it a "typical" Indian pitch.

Conversely, Paras Mhambrey, the former India medium-pacer and Mumbai captain, told Mid Day that this was anything but a typical Mumbai pitch. "It is not a typical Wankhede wicket. If this wicket would have been given in Nagpur, which I feel they should have as one has the right to capitalise on home advantage, the series could have been 1-1 and then this match the decider."

Mhambrey recalled a time when he had played an Irani Trophy match on a similar pitch, and said the ball gave the spinners plenty of assistance in that case. "Normally there is something in it [the pitch] for the seamers as well, but this looks a completely different track and the spinners will come into play early."

Mhambrey drew attention to the reddish appearance of the pitch. "You can make out the difference between the main pitch and the practice wickets," he said.

Either way, with an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match to play, the Australians have the edge.

© Wisden Cricinfo

[Occasional Fan]

Sheesh! That's four out of four games with advance discussions about the pitch. What a great sport this is! Only in cricket can the newspapers fill column inches with reports about the 44 square yards of Earth that the game will be played on. Quite easily in this series the area of newsprint devoted to this could be more than the area of the pitch!

When does the game start?

[Beny]

LOL. Yeah I know.


It starts tommorow.

[Occasional Fan]

Broke a thumb in the nets. BBC report here.

[flanflinger]

Intresting - will they choose another spinner to replace him? Will it be White or Hauritz???

For what could have been a dull end of rubber test, I have suddnely got intrested!!

[Occasional Fan]

Well, the Beeb says Hauritz is ready to deputise.

[Beny]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


For ^&^%% sake what is it with broken fingers!!!!

[Beny]

Warne is in doubt. McGrath is playing but has the Flu and Ponting returns.


What's the bet Hauritz broke Warne's thumb?

I's prefer to see Cam White playing.

[Beny]

Australia (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Simon Katich, 6 Michael Clarke, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Cameron White, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Michael Kasprowicz, 11 Jason Gillespie.



India (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Rahul Dravid (capt), 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Mohammad Kaif, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Anil Kumble, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Ashish Nehra.

© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd

Apparently Wisden belives McGrath is going to miss the final test.

[Mike Small]

Hauritz was preffered over White. Pigeon played. And he gave Australia their first break through (Sehwad bowled for 8) today after day one finally started after a long delay due to rain, just 48 overs to be played today. Wait a sec, Dizzy just got rid of Ghambir (lbw for 3)...India looking down the barrel once again at 12-2