‘I hate saying this out loud, but that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney.’
The spicy SCG pitch for the Border-Gavaskar Test series finale has been given a satisfactory rating by the International Cricket Council.
A returfed square and new variety of grass helped pace bowlers reign supreme in Sydney as the fifth and final Test ended just after lunch on Day 3.
Twenty-six wickets tumbled across the first two days, as India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and Australia hero Scott Boland caused havoc.
India legend Sunil Gavaskar, now a provocative commentator, claimed if wickets fell at that rate in India, “there would be hell” with complaints about the state of the pitch.
But the ICC ticked off the SCG pitch, giving it the second-highest rating.
The four other Test venues — Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Gabba, and the MCG — were all given “very good” ratings.
The ratings system was revamped in 2023 to reduce the number of ratings from six to four — very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and unfit.
Beau Webster hit the winning runs for Australia. Credit: Getty
“We encourage pitches that bring out the unique characteristics of that venue, and this has long been a feature of Australian cricket,” Cricket Australia’s operations and scheduling boss Peter Roach said.
“We strongly believe that this is one of the reasons that Test cricket is so popular in Australia.
“We don’t look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series.
“What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result.
“Weather obviously plays a significant part in preparation and we know that even our most skilled curators are challenged at times by adverse weather.
“The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins.“
Roach also said it highlighted the importance of continuing to play Sheffield Shield matches at major grounds, even when they don’t draw big crowds.
“It allows our curators to become more familiar with the different challenges that go into preparing wickets in different weather conditions, and also allows players to enter the Test team familiar with the conditions they will confront,” he said.
In 2022, the Gabba pitch was given a “below average” rating after Australia’s Test against South Africa finished inside two days.
Former Aussie captain Michael Clarke wasn’t quite as circumspect when speaking about the spiciest wicket of the series.
“The SCG is my favourite ground in the world, it is my home ground, and I hate saying this out loud, but that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney,” Clarke told ESPN.
“I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket. Balls not just going up off the surface, but also shooting low at the end of Day 2.
“These wickets in general throughout the summer were really tough for batting and were great for fast bowling, especially against the brand-new ball.
“But Sydney was extreme. I didn’t think it was a good Test wicket.”
