The Chennai surface may not have been to England’s liking, but it is far-fetched to expect the International Cricket Council to dock India World Test Championship points if they deem the pitch poor
England skipper Joe Root has put the Chennai pitch issue in true perspective. Pic/Getty Images
The Chennai pitch was as much a talking point on social media as India’s massive win over the Englishmen in the second Test earlier this week.
Let’s assume that most of us agree that the pitch was not a good one. Okay, let’s even define it as poor. But the arms of some experts and fans, especially those born in England, are up way too high on the pitch subject.
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They want the International Cricket Council (ICC) to deem this track poor and dock India points in the World Test Championship. But do they have a case when two Indian batsmen got hundreds, which contributed to the hosts’ match total of 615 as compared to England’s 298? Yet, some are expecting a negative rating of the pitch just like what happened for the India v South Africa 2017-18 Johannesburg Test, where only 805 runs were scored as 40 wickets fell on an ultra-dangerous surface. India won that Test to end the series 1-2.
The side that was capable of handling the pitch conditions better emerged triumphant. It is this aspect that the weeping Englishmen cannot genuinely stomach. Mind you, the same viewpoint is lapped up in matches played on English soil and rarely is there any sympathy shown to visiting sides which have to cope with the bowler-friendly tracks and cold weather.
Some Englishmen feel the Chennai pitch was doctored. Well, they too have been accused of the same and it’s as good a time as any to bring up those examples. In the 1956 Ashes, Australia drew first blood at Lord’s with a massive 185-run win in the second Test. It was after this Test that England captain Peter May told Australia’s star batsman Neil Harvey that the visiting team won’t get another bowler-friendly track for the remainder of the series. Harvey mentioned this in the documentary Cricket in the 1950s. In the same film, Richie Benaud revealed that injured England pace terror Frank Tyson was making every attempt to get fit for a call-up but was told by his country’s cricket bosses not to bother because he won’t be needed. An extraordinary pitch was prepared for the third Test at Leeds. The soil, according to Australia’s opening batsman Colin McDonald, was “bright yellow” instead of the anticipated “darkish grey.” Spinners Jim Laker and Tony Lock ran through the Australian batting and England got back into the series with an innings victory.
Now, the game at Old Trafford, Manchester, where off-spinner Laker claimed 19 wickets in the Test. Harvey, who stressed that he had no hesitation in saying that the pitches were doctored for Laker and Lock, revealed that the Old Trafford groundsman prepared a “sand heap” and one look at it caused the Australians to predict a two-and-a-half day pitch.
McDonald video-recorded the ground staff sweeping the pitch and the men who conducted that activity couldn’t be seen in the footage due to the excessive amount of dust that flew around. “The pitch at Manchester was like Bondi and we had to bat on it,” said McDonald. The Australians endured yet another innings defeat and the series ended 2-1 in England’s favour after a draw at The Oval.
In 1972, Australia began the Ashes with a loss in the opening Test at Manchester. Australia stunned England in the second Test at Lord’s with debutant Bob Massie claiming 16 wickets. Australia dominated the draw at Trent Bridge and England decided to recall left-arm spinner Derek ‘Deadly’ Underwood for the fourth Test at Leeds. Underwood, unplayable on damp surfaces, claimed 10 wickets in England’s win but the sore point among the Australians was not so much the loss but the pitch which was said to have been afflicted by a fungus called Fusarium — only the pitch — not the rest of the ground. Greg Chappell in the book The Chappell Years, called it an “intelligent fungus.” Chappell, who carved a flawless hundred at Lord’s, elaborated: “The Headingly grass was the greenest I’d ever seen, and there was this strip — 22 yards by about 10 feet — absolutely bare of grass. To have claimed it was caused by a disease just boggled my imagination. I’m no gardener, but I reckon that if something is going to attack a strip 22 yards by 10 feet, it’s probably going to go for the rest as well.”
The series ended on a happy note for Australia with a splendid win at The Oval, although England kept the Ashes.
In more recent times, England rolled out some very bowler-friendly tracks for the 2011 Indian tourists, who lost 0-4. India were also hampered by injuries, chiefly to their pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, who did his hamstring in at Lord’s in the first Test. Duncan Fletcher, the then India coach, tried to justify India’s performance by bringing up the conditions after the third loss in Birmingham. “In my experience, I have never seen so much swing and seam continuously for three Tests,” said Fletcher, who had coached the England team from 1999 to 2007.
Back to the current series. The England team are not saying anything on the record to be viewed as mourners. Yes, Joe Root felt it was not a good track but that’s where he put a full stop on the criticism and added: “I’d say it was a challenging wicket. We were outplayed and we have to be very honest about that.”
If some of his country’s former players and die-hard supporters refuse to embrace a persecution complex like him, there’d be fewer wars on social media.
mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper
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