Four of Australia’s last 20 home Tests have ended before a third day, prompting Cricket Australia (CA) to urge curators to prepare pitches that favour batters for the upcoming domestic season.
One in Five Home Tests Ends Early
Four of the last 20 home Tests in Australia have not reached a third day. Domestic pitch preparation has come under scrutiny after the recent Mackay Test concluded inside two days, the third of the last seven home Tests to finish in just two days.
Recent two-day Tests in Australia:
| Test Venue | Time to Finish | Grass on Pitch | ICC Rating Expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mackay | 2 days | 3.5mm | Highly rated |
| Perth | 2 days | Not stated | Highly rated |
Cricket Australia’s operations and scheduling chief, Peter Roach, addressed pitch preparation at July’s annual conference with first-class ground curators. The main agenda was recalibrating the balance between bat and ball.
National coach Andrew McDonald, head of national teams Ben Oliver, and head of cricket James Allsopp joined state coaches in the discussion. They examined pitch quality in home Tests and Sheffield Shield fixtures, and its influence on the development of Test-level players.
Declining Batting and Bowling Averages Under Scrutiny
The quick finishes coincide with a broader decline in both batting and bowling averages in Australia’s home Tests. McDonald confirmed the coaching staff are tracking batter performance through new metrics and comparing them with Sheffield Shield averages.
The Kookaburra ball modification in 2019, involving a second layer of lacquer and reinforced seam, has been cited in discussions about changing match dynamics.
The following table summarises the recent trends:
| Statistic | Value/Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Home Tests not reaching third day (last 20) | 4 |
| Two-day Tests in last 7 home matches | 3 |
| Grass on Mackay pitch (mm) | 3.5mm |
| ICC anticipated rating for Mackay and Perth pitches | Highly rated |
Short-form cricket has altered red-ball batting styles, while the World Test Championship format reportedly incentivises result-oriented pitches.
CA Issues Guidance to Curators to Favour Batters
CA will officially encourage curators to favour batters in pitch preparation for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season, seeking to correct a balance that has tilted towards bowlers in recent years.
The Mackay surface, which had just 3.5mm of grass, is expected to be rated highly by the ICC, echoing the assessment of the two-day Perth Test pitch during the previous Ashes series.
Mitchell Starc’s 22-ball five-wicket haul in Mackay underlined the conditions on a surface designed to produce a result.
