Curator Damian Hough warns stress of preparing Test pitches is impacting mental health of ground staff
Australia’s premier curator Damian Hough says ground staff are now prone to the same mental health concerns as players, due to the scrunity that comes with preparing Test match wickets.
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Australia’s No. 1 curator Damian Hough has revealed the mental pressure pushing his peers to breaking point, but insists there shouldn’t be concerns over Perth Stadium’s ‘exciting’ old school strip.
Humble greenkeepers are grappling with performance pressure equal to players, and Adelaide Oval curator Hough has registered his concerns with Cricket Australia.
“I 100 per cent think that and have spoken to Cricket Australia about it. With the MCG, it is three weeks out (and) scrutiny is at a different level,” Hough told The Advertiser.
Victoria’s Glenn Maxwell, Nic Maddinson and Will Pucovski are all dealing with cricket-related mental health issues.
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Ongoing pitch problems that threaten to derail a lucrative Boxing Day Test have attracted serious media attention and heat for head curator Matt Page.
“We are just not equipped to deal with it, we cut grass for a living. The microscope seems to be on you and the last five years it seems to have got worse with social media,” Hough noted.
“It is always on the table with mental health.
“You can imagine when it doesn’t go to plan, doing the best you can and everyone is talking about it.
“There are bad times, but when things do go right it is unbelievable, a great feeling.”
Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test pitches have regularly disappointed since 1980.
A Sheffield Shield match was called off at the MCG last Saturday due to an unsafe pitch.
The MCG’s 2017 Ashes strip sunk to a new low when rated ‘poor’ by the ICC in a verdict that would have attracted a three-point fine under new rules.
A venue could be suspended from hosting international cricket for a year if five demerit points are accrued over a five-year period for inferior pitches.
A suspension would have massive financial implications for state associations, which increases pressure on curators already striving to satisfy players, fans and broadcasters.
Hough’s mentor Les Burdett has been drafted to assist in Melbourne’s Test pitch preparation.
“I feel for them as the scrutiny is at another level. It is quite stressful,” said Hough, who concedes both he and Burdett were ‘driven by a fear of failure’ preparing Adelaide strips.
“My understanding is they are trying to get an even contest between bat and ball.”
Hough stands alone in acing the challenge of producing an Adelaide drop-in pitch with even bounce, carry and turn, rated the nation’s best by Tim Paine’s unit.
The pitch for Australia’s series opener against New Zealand starting Thursday is likely to sport cracks generated by successive heatwaves this spring, which Hough says should be embraced.
“It is part and parcel of their environment, I quite like it, high clay content,” Hough said.
“I think it just adds to it, (it’s) quite exciting, natural and part of the pitch.
“It is Western Australia. I don’t think you can lose too much sleep over it.”
Having consulted on Perth Stadium’s drop-in pitch, Hough said it is tracking to revive memories of WACA’s express heyday strips.
“It adds another dimension to the game,” he said.