'Bugger the batsmen': Lee makes pitch for livelier Test wickets after bowling woes last summer

Brett Lee has urged curators to prepare more sporting Test wickets this summer as he believes they offered too little for bowlers last year.

Pitches proved a regular talking point last summer against India, with Australia frustrated by a perceived lack of assistance for bowlers.

Brett Lee has called for livelier Test wickets this summer after some flat decks last year.Credit: AP

Captain Tim Paine labelled them a ‘‘disappointment’’, bemoaning the lack of pace and bounce available, and claiming it hampered Australia’s pace attack.

The MCG, in particular, has copped flak after two lifeless seasons, and the SCG did not produce a result in four red-ball games last summer.

Former Test paceman Lee said the game desperately needed that to change, after more sporting wickets in England set the scene for an exciting Ashes.

‘‘I’m not saying green tops and spotty wickets, where you knock a team over in a Test match for 120,’’ Lee said. "But you want wickets that keep the bowler interested for the first couple of sessions, even the first day. You want the bowlers to be able to take wickets. You don’t want to see a 650 [runs] play a 580.

‘‘Why can’t it be a bowlers game? I say bugger the batsmen. I mean that tongue in cheek of course. But you want the bowlers to have that interest too.

‘‘People want to come to the ground to see bowlers beat the bat, play and miss, a couple of chances on the morning of Test cricket.’’

While wickets were hard to come by in 2018-19, so too were runs. The lack of pace, movement and at times carry contributed to the slowest-scoring Test summer since 1997-98, with run-rates dropping below three an over.

Notably this summer, the first Test at the Gabba against Pakistan and last Test at the SCG against New Zealand will be the only ones not played on drop-in wickets.

Lee was concerned it took something away from the traditional character of each ground.

‘‘It’s when you go to every venue and every venue is a bit like a cookie cutter, starting to look the same. That’s not where we want to be I’d think,’’ Lee said.

‘‘Good, true sporty wickets - where the ball swung and there was a bit of seam. If you got yourself in, you score runs. That’s Test cricket, that’s what you want to see.’’

AAP