Cricket Tasmania defends Hobart pitch

Updated December 13, 2012 07:02:19

Cricket Tasmania officials on Wednesday defended the pitch for this week's first Test against Sri Lanka, saying they are confident it will provide an even surface.

Following an upgrade of the wicket and outfield in August, three Sheffield Shield games have produced an average first-innings score of less than 100.

As both teams trained on Wednesday ahead of Friday's first day's play, the pitch was bathed in green.

CT boss David Johnson denied Hobart was in any danger of having Cricket Australia move the match to another venue because of fears the pitch would be a raging green-top for seam bowlers to wreak havoc.

"I am very confident the team has prepared an even surface that should provide a great battle between bat and ball come Friday," CT venue operations manager Stephen McMullen said in a statement on Wednesday.

CT chairman Tony Harrison said curator Marcus Pamplin and his staff had done a fantastic job re-surfacing Bellerive Oval.

"The CT Board has full confidence in our curating team and is confident that they have produced a quality Test wicket," Harrison said.

Cricket Australia venue operations manager Sean Cary said the new centre-wicket block had provided more bounce and carry than the old pitch.

"This is due to the rye grass and new clay mix. However the new wicket has also shown that when batsmen apply themselves early, runs can be scored when they get set," Cary said.

Pamplin said the process of the clay settling down would take some time.

"But we believe we are in a far better position for a more consistent surface than at the start of the season," he said.

"On the back of a good cricket pitch for the last Sheffield Shield game, we think the Test pitch should play better and provide a good contest."

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, hobart-7000, tas

First posted December 12, 2012 17:37:53

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Tasmania skittled for 95 all out

Updated November 10, 2012 12:50:54

Bellerive's green-top wickets are likely to come under more scrutiny after Tasmania was skittled all out for just 95 in 25.1 overs on day two of the Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland.

The Tigers' first innings lasted just 118 minutes as Bulls quicks Luke Feldman (4 for 33) and Ben Cutting (4 for 25) ripped through the home side's batting line-up.

Ex-Queensland opener Ben Dunk top scored with 22, the quickfire nature of his 24-ball innings showing Tasmania believed attack was the best form of survival.

Another low-scoring Hobart Shield match looks certain after the 200-mark was only passed once in the four innings of last week's win by South Australia.

That match caused Redbacks coach Darren Berry to slam the pace-friendly nature of pitches around the country and the lack of opportunities they presented for spinners.

Former Test batsman Dean Jones joined the criticism, saying teams should be docked competition points if they produced substandard pitches.

The entire surface at Bellerive was relaid during the off-season and curator Marcus Pamplin said that had affected the pitch for the three-day SA match along with cool and overcast weather.

On Saturday the rot started for Tasmania when opener Mark Cosgrove (4) shouldered arms and was lbw to Feldman at 1 for 11.

It was 2 for 34 when Dunk slashed at a Feldman delivery outside off stump and 3 for 49 when skipper George Bailey (11) nicked a ball from Cutting that left him.

Aiden Blizzard (0) and rising star Alex Doolan (16) were both bowled, and from 5 for 65 it became a procession to the pavilion.

Day one of the Shield final rematch was lost to bad weather but a result seems a certainty given the nature of the wicket.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, hobart-7000, tas, qld, australia

First posted November 10, 2012 12:50:54

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