SCG Curator Optimistic Ahead of Fifth Ashes Test
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) curator, Adam Lewis, expressed his satisfaction with the color of the pitch as preparations ramp up for the fifth Ashes Test starting on January 4. This comes after intense scrutiny of the pitch conditions that followed the fourth Ashes match, which concluded in just two days.
With the International Cricket Council (ICC) issuing an unsatisfactory rating to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after England’s four-wicket victory in record time, the focus has shifted to the SCG wicket.
Lewis shared his approach to handling the situation, stating, “I don’t scroll, I don’t have social media, so I try and keep all that negative energy away from me. We just put our own pressure on ourselves. We’re trying to produce the best pitch we can with the climate that we’re given.”
He continued, “We’re happy with the colour of the pitch at the moment; we don’t want it to not have any green in it three days out from the Test. We’ll be able to take that colour out of it over the next couple of days. Hopefully, we see a little bit of sun, which will help draw the moisture out.”
Lewis emphasized the need for a “nice green tinge” on Day 1 to ensure the ball carries well, while also aiming for a smooth and even surface. “We’re looking like we’ve got good weather for the five days, and my gut feeling is that we will see some good batting,” he remarked on SEN Radio.
Reflecting on the MCG pitch, Lewis praised curator Matt Page, stating he did the best he could given the challenging conditions leading up to the Boxing Day Test. He reaffirmed that his primary goal is to create conditions that allow players’ skills to determine the outcome of the match.
“I spoke to Pagey a few times last week. The guys are doing the absolute best they can. Pagey is probably one of the best curators in Australia, if not the world. It’s not as if we go out to produce a wicket that it’s over in a few days. It’s just a shame. All we can do now is just produce something as even as possible, so it can be decided by the players,” he added.