Snake cracks are a well-known feature in Perth’s cricket grounds. The old WACA pitch was famous for its pace and bounce, and the new Optus Stadium has shown similar characteristics. In dry conditions, cracks on the pitch widen, resulting in extra bounce and making it more conducive for spinners. These cracks can sometimes open as much as 5 mm, making batting challenging in the middle.
However, rain has been a significant factor leading up to the first Test in Perth. The surface has been covered for an extended period, prompting head curator Issac McDonald to adjust to the conditions. Despite this, McDonald is optimistic about the competition between bat and ball in the series opener, which starts on November 22. He mentioned that while the pitch is expected to deteriorate over the course of the game, he doesn’t foresee the emergence of large snake cracks that would trouble the batters. “It’s been quite conditions-based. At the moment, we’re leaning towards rolling it a bit more on top to get that firmness, and that happy medium between bat and ball. [It] would be nice if the sun pops out, but we’re really comfortable as a curating team,” McDonald said, as quoted by Business Standard.
“I don’t think this weather is going to make this pitch fall apart. There’ll be some deterioration. Grass will stand up during the game and offer that variable bounce. But in terms of big-snake WACA cracks, unfortunately, I don’t think the weather’s going to get us there,” he added.
Meanwhile, India is gearing up to play with three seamers and Nitish Kumar Reddy as the fourth option in the first Test. Jasprit Bumrah will join Mohammed Siraj, and either Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana is likely to be the third seamer. Reddy is expected to make his Test debut, and Devdutt Padikkal is the frontrunner to replace the injured Shubman Gill in the playing XI.
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