Gabba Test pitch comes under scrutiny

Gabba Test pitch comes under scrutiny

The Gabba pitch is about to return beneath the ICC microscope after Australia’s first Test in opposition to South Africa completed inside two days.

Australia went 1-0 up within the three-Test sequence on Sunday as 34 wickets tumbled in six periods of play.

South Africa captain Dean Elgar slammed the pitch as harmful and mentioned he requested the umpires how for much longer the match ought to go till it was deemed unsafe.

“I don’t think it was a very good Test wicket,” Elgar mentioned.

“I did ask the umpires when KG got (Travis) Head out down leg. I said, ‘How long does it go on for until it potentially is unsafe?’ Nortje was bowling those short ones that were flying over our heads.

“I do know the sport was useless and buried. It was by no means to try to change (the outcome) or to place a halt to the sport.”

The last time Australia won a Test in less than two days was in 2002 when Steve Waugh’s team dismissed Pakistan for 59 and 53 in Sharjah.

The only previous two-day Test played in Australia was in 1931 when the hosts beat the West Indies by an innings in Melbourne.

The Gabba pitch is certain to come under a thorough review from the International Cricket Council.

However, an India-England Test in Ahmedabad last year that also lasted only two days was investigated by the ICC without any sanction being handed down.

Australia captain Pat Cummins was bemused with Elgar’s assessment.

“If you are going to lose the match, you’d most likely strive something, would not you?” Cummins mentioned.

“It was superb. There was some sideways motion, slightly little bit of up and down bounce however … there isn’t any balls leaping off a size or something like that.

“It was actually difficult.

“I do not suppose the toss had a giant issue within the win as a result of every thing occurred so shortly. Two days most likely is not supreme.”