Grass Left on the Pitch
It’s noteworthy that Bumrah is the highest wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Test series. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with Bumrah taking 21 wickets at an average of 10.9. Page commented, “I think whenever fast bowlers come here now, they get excited, and that’s good for us.” In a press conference on Monday, Page added, “We’ll never be as fast as Perth or Brisbane, but we’ve managed to produce some quicker wickets in the last few years. A bit more grass has been left on this wicket.”
Six Millimetres of Grass on the Surface
Page stated that the heat will not affect the pitch preparation for this crucial match, as six millimetres of grass will be left on the surface. “Whether we’ll leave a bit more moisture in it or not, I can’t say at the moment. We’ll keep an eye on the weather and adjust our preparation accordingly. We’ve been very happy with the last few years, so it’s a case of doing it again for us.”
Aiming for a More Exciting Test Match
Commenting on the changing nature of the Melbourne pitch, Page said, “Seven years ago, we were quite flat. We sat down as an organisation and said we want to create more exciting contests, more exciting Test matches, so we leave more grass on it now.” He added, “It gives the bowlers a bit more, but they’re still good batting wickets after the new ball. Our aim is to give opportunities to bowlers at different points in the game, and also give opportunities to batsmen if they play well.”
