Cricket Australia deny doctoring Perth wicket for second Test

In an embarrassing contradiction, Cricket Australia has denied requesting Perth’s Optus Stadium curator produce a lively deck for Friday’s second Test against India, as the home side attempt to level the series.

Australian coach Justin Langer (left) inspects the pitch as curator Brett Sipthorpe rolls the wicket.

In an embarrassing contradiction, Cricket Australia has denied requesting Perth’s Optus Stadium curator produce a lively deck for Friday’s second Test against India, as the home side attempt to level the series after losing the first Test in Adelaide on Monday by 31 runs.

Eyebrows were raised on Thursday when Perth’s curator Brett Sipthorpe revealed that he had been asked to produce a wicket which would offer plenty of pace and bounce.

“They want to see this place fly,” Sipthorpe told the West Australian.

“That’s like an early Christmas present for me. To get that fear in the eyes of the opposition turning up and seeing it fly ... beautiful.”

But in a Fairfax report, CA vehemently denied the suggestion they ordered a fast wicket, which would likely suit the home side, and said they worked with groundsmen across the country to ensure the unique qualities of each venue remained.

“We work with all of our venues to ensure pitches deliver a competitive match between ball and bat in all Test matches,” a CA spokesman told Fairfax.

“That we see different characteristics in our wickets across our country is unique in world cricket and we should celebrate this and give freedom to our curators to bring them to the fore.”

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Such a wicket would usually suit the home side, whose players — unlike the tourists that have grown up on slower wickets that are more conducive to spin in the sub-continent — have grown up on fast wickets.

But with Australia missing three of its best batsmen due to CA’s decision to suspend Cape Town trio Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, and India’s attack one of their best yet, it’s thought that the home side won’t benefit from a quick wicket like they usually might.

“Certainly from seeing the Indian attack in England and at the Adelaide Oval, Bumrah, Shami and Sharma will be going to bed tonight thinking thank you,” former England captain Michael Vaughan told reporters at a Fox Cricket event.

“The actual three quicks of India out bowled the three quicks of Australia. They were outstanding…It’s a big big risk that Australia are taking.

“They clearly need a pitch that they feel they can get at the Indian batsmen but I just look to the game at Adelaide Oval, it wasn’t the pitch, it wasn’t anything to do with the conditions. It was just that India produced more discipline for longer periods.”

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It’s the first time a Test match will have been played at the venue, after the recently built Optus Stadium hosted a one day international for the first time earlier this year.

In the recent one day match between Australia and South Africa last month, the wicket was a throwback to the old WACA deck which — until recently — was known as one of the fastest in the world.

Friday’s wicket is expected to play similarly.

Nonetheless, Indian captain and star batsmen Virat Kohli didn’t bat an eyelid at the prospect of a quick wicket.

“I hope no more grass is taken off the pitch,” Kohli said. “Because that will mean the first three days will be very lively and we as a team are pretty happy with that.

“This pitch is going to offer significantly more to the bowlers than Adelaide.

“That’s something we’re very excited about.”

Originally published as Cricket Australia deny doctoring Perth wicket for second Test