New MCG head curator David Sandurski has some good news for Australian batsman Phil Hughes.
The pitch he has prepared for the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka is very similar to the one on which Hughes compiled a match-winning 158 for South Australia in last month's Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG.
That century was one of several significant innings this season by the 24-year-old Hughes, which culminated in his return to the Test side for the series against Sri Lanka, which Australia leads 1-0.
Sandurski - who will be making his Boxing Day debut after moving from Brisbane's Allan Border Field three months ago - admits he will probably be more nervous than the players before the start of play on one.
But he is confident the pitch will be a good one.
"We try and get an even contest between bat and ball," Sandurski said on Sunday.
"You don't want it too lopsided one way or the other.
"So far this one is tracking similarly to the South Australian Shield match which had a bit in there with the new ball.
"But once you get stuck in there, like Phil Hughes did, you can go on and make a big score."
The weather gods have been mostly kind to Sandurski, although there is some rain forecast over the next two days ahead of a sunny Boxing Day.
The Sri Lankans are hopeful that the wickets in Melbourne and Sydney for the final two Tests of the series will provide assistance to their spin attack led by their left-arm orthodox bowler Rangana Herath.
"A lot of the turn you will get here is from the footmarks," said Sandurski.
"As the match progresses into day four and five you can look for the spinners to come into it a bit.
"But I think early on it will be suiting the quicks a bit more."
AAP
Tags: cricket, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, sri-lanka First posted December 23, 2012 12:43:35
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