‘The hypocrisy is mind-boggling’: Cricket world in shock as two-day Gabba Test roasted
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The Gabba curators are in the firing line after the second Test between Australia and South Africa ended inside two days on Sunday.
The cricket world has blasted the greentop in Brisbane which produced 34 wickets in under six sessions as no batsman made a century.
Travis Head was only Australian player to make a half century and his 92 runs in the first innings was the difference between the sides as the hosts won by six wickets.
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South African No. 6 Kyle Verreynne was the only other player to make a half century as he made a gritty 64 runs in the first innings.
“I sense that the pitch is going to be the back page lead… I think that is the story – was it a suitable pitch for these two powerhouses to go at each other on such a green pitch,” Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.
“I would say a bit sporty,” South African great Shaun Pollock responded.
“I think when it’s misbehaving as much as it is, the sideways movement I’m not overly worried about too much of that, it’s when it starts standing up too steeply or going through the top creating those little divots that you do feel that maybe the curator’s got it slightly wrong.”
Mark Waugh added: “The pitch is just a bit too juicy isn’t it, you just need luck to make runs. I’d have to say this pitch well get a below average rating. You want a contest between bat and ball and this wasn’t a contest.”
Indian great Virender Sehwag was scathing in his assessment and accused the Australians of “mind-boggling” hypocrisy.
“142 overs and not even lasting 2 days and they have the audacity to lecture on what kind of pitches are needed. Had it happened in India, it would have been labelled end of test cricket, ruining test cricket and what not. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling,” Sehwag tweeted.
Former Australian player Brad Hogg ridiculed the wicket and called the game “as quick as a back yard Test on Christmas Day’ but it did win some support online.
“Last year in the Ashes, Australia won 4-0 and there was a draw on a slow pitch in Sydney when England held out, but all four pitches that resulted in Australia’s favour had that edge, there was a sportiness to them. It was a fast bowler’s series. The pitches were designed to get results for the quick men, again the tradition continues here at the Gabba – but have they overly conditioned it?” O’Keeffe asked Pollock.
“Yeah I think maybe they have,” Pollock responded.
“I’ve made a suggestion in our South African game, if you look at the standard of our batting we actually need to go down the route of trying to make slightly flatter surfaces to allow these batters to establish themselves and get a bit of a career going, get a bit of confidence at the top level because bowling wise we should still have the firepower to pick up 20 wickets.
“You guys have got such a quality attack that you don’t need to give extra impetus to the attack by adding a bit of extra movements and vulnerability to that surface.”