In 1999 South Africa toured New Zealand and the first two Tests ended in high-scoring draws. At Auckland, Darryl Cullinan overtook Graeme Pollock’s highest score for South Africa scoring 274 runs. At Canterbury, Herschelle Gibbs scored a magnificent 200. It is worth recalling that both these pitches were treated with glue technology! I questioned then if this was good for the game, and now I repeat this question.
Earlier in 1998 at the Commonwealth Games South Africa won the gold medal after playing a semi-final against Sri Lanka which went down to the wire on a pitch that crumbled and broke up. In the final, our pre-match talks revolved around batting first because the pitch favoured the team batting first.
However, after taking a look at the pitch we noticed that it had been treated with glue and it was obvious that it would not break up as it had earlier. So Shaun Pollock, on winning the toss, put the Australians in and South Africa went on to win batting second.
The glue causes a sheen on the surface and is slightly tacky to walk on and it definitely changes the surface. It also hides the fact that the groundsman has not been able to prepare the pitch properly because of weather, over use or in New Zealand’s case Rugby Union being played on the same surface.
Should the laws of cricket allow groundstaff to use elements other than water, sun and clay to prepare the pitches, should glue be allowed? It would seem that in dire circumstances it might be used to shore up inadequate pitch preparation as was the case in Mumbai. While this is an extreme case I have massive reservations about it being used in a Test and, indeed, even the one-day arena.
Incredibly, South Africa who won the toss in Mumbai in their Champions Trophy encounter against New Zealand chose to field first. But such was the nature of the surface that even Stephen Fleming agreed that it was a sub-standard surface. I say “incredibly” as there must have been signs that the pitch would break up!
My reservations about using an artificial substance like glue in the Test match arena is that the conditions should remain natural for the longer form of the game and pitches should deteriorate normally as they do. Indeed, the final game at Wellington on the 1999 tour mentioned earlier was played on one of the best cricket surfaces I have seen and a result was achieved with the ball turning on the last day. On the Auckland and Christchurch pitches it was obvious that the surfaces would not deteriorate enough to allow the bowlers to force a result.
It would be interesting to see how the glued pitch reacts when water or heavy dew mixes with the glue. Will it make the pitch harder to dry or more sticky? This of course might be a problem during a rain-affected game. I do not know the answers to this and I wonder if they have been researched?
The ICC must in my opinion discuss the use of glue for pitch preparation very carefully!
I think the use of glue could help at school-level tournaments, clubs etc as they do not have the equipment or knowledge, or where water is at a premium. Children thereby would be able to play on better surfaces than some of them do.
There are a number of countries below Test match level too whose soil has very low levels of clay and they too could gain from the use of the glue technology. However, the game of cricket at the highest levels needs natural conditions, as no two pitches are the same and this anomaly is the beauty of the game.
In one-day cricket there is solid argument for a surface that remains the same for both innings and if glue assists then it should be used. Especially since, floodlit cricket and early morning starts in the sub-continental winters make it tougher for the groundstaff to prepare pitches that will remain the same.
I personally am of the opinion that no artificial substances should be used in the final preparations of a pitch in any form of cricket. The groundstaff have to learn how to prepare a wicket for Test cricket and also for one-day cricket. We live in a modern scientific era where plenty of data is available.
In conclusion it is vital that the education of groundstaff includes understanding how soil binds together with root growth, when they should water and when they should roll.
Comments
Posted by: Karun Dudani at October 24, 2006 4:11 AM
There is a little bit of contradiction in the statements made by Mr. Woolmer. On one hand he says that the pitches should be best left natural and then that the surfaces being provided for Champions trophy are sub standard. Agreed that run scoring has not been too easy in the on going tournament, but then isnt a batsman's or rather any player's true test in adapting to varying conditions?
Posted by: Kristian Byrne at October 24, 2006 4:29 AM
Agree with your comments in regards to Test Match pitches. The wearing nature of the pitch is one of the most facinating aspects of the game of cricket. Few cricket followers would argue that a perfect test match pitch provides conditions to suit every exponent of the game throughout the course of the test match. Something like the following is considered ideal:
Day One - Movement for the Seamers.
Day Two,Three - Best Batting conditions.
Day Four,Five - Better for the Spinners.
But I wonder how much the almighty dollar has to do with this. Do the cricket boards and ground administrations push for games to go to 5 days in order to maximise returns? It is hard to imagine that they wouldn't. Let's hope they don't have so much control over the groundstaff that they can dictate the use of technology to provide placid pitches. Such a course of action I am sure would be counter productive. Let's leave the groundstaff to prepare strips with the bare essentials only. I want to see Tony Greig lose a key in a 5th day crack in the Perth pitch.
Posted by: Abhi at October 24, 2006 4:29 AM
Hi Bob, it would be intresting to see ur comments about using glue on pitches, had pakistan been in the position of SA battling it out on a crubming pitch.
This brings us back to the same old question as to why pitches play such important role in deciding a game. Dont we have a fair concept in cricket where the team which plays better cricket on a day wins, and the winning factor is not dependant on factors like pitch, weather, covers on the pitch etc...
Something which i always dont understand is does the ICC have a standard to prepare pitches ? Aren't the ground staff through out the world briefed about making the pitches, how to water them and when to and when not to! ? It all boils down to taking more interest in the game and trying to make it more intresting. I know it is easy to ask these kind of questions and answers to these kind of questions would involve lot more of structuring which i guess is missing with the ICC now.
Anyways it was nice reading ur blog about using glue pitches, and u have made an intresting comment about how these pitches will behave when it rains.
Posted by: Kash at October 24, 2006 1:42 PM
In my opinion, I would suggest that pitches be left in thier natural state, without the help of substances such as glue to gel the pitch surface together. Ground staff are employed to prepare good cricket pitches and the use of glue and other substances will only mean that Groundsmen are not doing the job that thay have been doing for many years. In addition, I feel that this would effect the younger generation of cricketers, who may not have the opportunity to play on modified pitches, decreasing the number of good cricketers who come up through the ranks. The skill of batting and bowling in cricket is based around the ability of a team to perform on natural pitches, not on modified pitches so that eventaully all cricket pitches become the same. Lets get back to the good old ways and make sure that the Groundsmen do thier job properly. Only then will our beloved sport called 'cricket' will survive.
Posted by: Amer Hussain at October 24, 2006 4:15 PM
Without varying conditions, cricket would not be the sport it is. Pitch, weather, moods, personalities, techniques, actions, styles - these are all variables that make cricket so exciting. I agree Bob, pitches shouldn't be glued together and I am an engineer who works extensively with adhesives. The game needs balance between bat and ball - glue isn't the answer - there are more appropriate ways.
There is nothing more disappointing as a spectator than a heavy defeat for your team - especially from teams you are expected to beat. The variables that enable this to happen are what makes cricket what it is.
Posted by: Ryan Patrick at October 25, 2006 9:59 PM
Bob, I'm so glad you are weighing in on this. It's amazing to me the lengths the ICC is going to tweak the sanctity of the game but they are still holding off on putting technology in the hands of umpires.
What do you think of this plan to spray chemicals (APSA-80) on the field to counter the dew factor in night games? I am very nervous about this, from a safety perspective.
Take a look at the material safety sheet (http://caribbeancricket.com/tmp/2837R1_USB_EN_BTB_APSA-80.pdf)
HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
This product is hazardous according to the criteria of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.
* Irritating to respiratory system.
* Irritating to eyes.
* Harmful if swallowed.
* Combustible
It seems to me the risk/reward doesn't add up. I'm curious about whether the players have been properly advised about the risks of sliding on a ground sprayed with this chemical.
Would you want to be licking your fingers during a game?
_ryan
Posted by: Abhishek Purohit at October 26, 2006 12:19 PM
This is an extremely complex and grey issue, with no clearly available answers. I think any Test arena groundsman worth his salt would, more often than not, be able to prepare a decent enough pitch. Its alright for you, Bob to say that groundstaff should be educated about pitch preparation, but where sufficient time has not been available, there is not much even Andy Atkinson can do, except applying glue. I think the ICC has to interven in major tournaments like this, becaue honestly there is too much at stake to allow a one-day pitch to behave like a 5th day dustbowl.
Posted by: Robert at October 26, 2006 12:20 PM
Glue on pitches is about as bad as vaseline on a ball, well at least as far as I am concerned. Surely there are rules in the creation of a pitch? When was the last time they played an international on a cement pitch? Or even a mat for that matter? I doesn't happen, well not as far as I know. So surely the adding of an extra substance to a pitch equates to the same thing.
I remember watching a test match between England and the West Indies being called off because the pitch was declared dangerous - several english batsmen were hit and injured due to an uneven bounce. Unfortunately the pitch between SA and NZ wasn't dangerous, but surely was dangerous to the game of cricket? Can't the umpires decide that they don't want to play on a certain surface? Surely there is a standard to which the pitches should be maintained, but who monitors that?
If it is a case of money, make that countries cricket board/ground/franchise pick up the tab. Afterall, it is they that benefit from the games being played there. A classic case of "the buck stops here!"
Sorry if this is long winded, but with so many rules and regulations in the game, you figure that these things just shouldn't happen.
Posted by: §unnY at October 26, 2006 12:24 PM
Hi,
I think using something other then natural, will cause the game loose its natural beauty. Who would then listen to pitch expert? Who would visit the pitch in the morning to see batting first should be better or batting second? The first day and the last day of the test match if would be same then wat will excite the audience for the team batting in 4th innings chasing 300+ runs.
I think for the spirit of the game only natural elements should be use.
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