Expect bowler-friendly pitch for December 26 Durban Test, says Kingsmead ground manager Brett Proctor
Expect bowler-friendly pitch for December 26 Durban Test, says Kingsmead ground manager Brett Proctor
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his fellow Indian batsmen could be in for a torrid time in the second Test against South Africa starting Sunday.
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| India's VVS Laxman avoids a bouncer off SA pacer Andre Nel during the Durban Test of 2006. PIC/AFP |
Brett Proctor, the ground manager of Kingsmead in this windy city, told MiD DAY yesterday that the pitch will be a bowler-friendly one.
India's problems in the first Test at Centurion centred around their foibles to deal with the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. Though Dhoni and Tendulkar came up with spirited performances in the second innings, India still ended up losing by an innings and 25 runs on Monday.
When this correspondent saw the Kingsmead wicket yesterday afternoon, he was surprised to see black grass.
Proctor went on to explain the oddity: "It was raining for the last two or three days. There was ankle deep-water. The grass is black because of theu00a0 wet conditions and the covering."
He assured that the grass would be shaved off, but ruled out a bald track. "We have let the grass grow because it can bind the soil in these conditions. A lot of it will be off soon but not entirely," said Proctor.
He also ruled out an out-an-out bowler's paradise. "We want the Test to last five days though. We don't want to lose out on ticket sales."
India have played three Tests at Kingsmead. Praveen Amre is the only Indian batsman to score a hundred here (he did so on Test debut while playing under Mohammed Azharuddin in 1992-93). The Test was drawn, but India lost the 2006-07 game after positing a win in the earlier Test at Johannesburg.
S Sreesanth will have fond, personal memories of this Test as he claimed eight wickets in the game. India need him to do a repeat performance now, more than ever.
Staying away from Sun CityThe Indian team is taking a break in Sun City and will arrive in Durban only tomorrow. It is learnt that not all members headed to the famous holiday destination. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh decided to stay put in Johannesburg.
