A day after Australian Test star Steve Smith referred to as for a “little bit better” Boxing Day pitch than final summer season, MCC boss Stuart Fox has hit out on the unfair strain positioned on curators across the nation.
The wicket for the primary Test towards South Africa in Brisbane was given a “below average” ranking by the ICC after the match completed inside two days, and all eyes are on the pitch being produced in Melbourne by MCG curator Matt Page.
Smith stated the wicket for final 12 months’s Ashes conflict towards England, which completed inside three days after the vacationers had been rolled for 68 of their second innings, was the worst he’d performed on in Australia till it was eclipsed by final week’s Gabba horror.
But Fox stated the MCG had spent “millions of dollars” following its personal horror in 2017 when the Boxing Day wicket was rated “poor” and backed Page to supply an ideal pitch.
Fox stated he had informed Page to disregard and keep away from any criticism and regardless of final 12 months’s brief Test, outcomes since 2017 had proven how good the MCG wicket might be.
“I’ve told Matt to not even pick up a paper for a read, he’ll do his job and he’s done a great job for the past three or four years,” Fox stated on Thursday.
“We’ve got no doubts about what we’re about to produce, I think it’ll be a good pitch and we’re not too worried.
“We certainly don’t listen to what’s going on externally.
“In fact, I probably get a little bit angry about some of the journalism around this issue to be honest.”
Fox conceded the criticism following the 2017 calamity was honest.
But since then Page has tinkered with the drop-in-in pitches in quite a lot of methods, lowering the variety of wickets to permit them to maneuver, altering the concrete base to clay, and even rising new pitches.
“We’ve spent millions of dollars, got the right people in and in the last few years it’s been fantastic,” Fox informed SEN.
“So, we feel like we’ve done our job and I do get disappointed with some of the commentary right around Australia.
“These guys work pretty hard and it’s a very, very fine line these guys walk.
“It’s a game of inches really between producing a good pitch or a bad pitch, so there’s an art to it.”
Melbourne is predicted to bake from Christmas Day onwards, with temperatures in extra of 30C set for the primary three days.
Fox stated Page wouldn’t be influenced by critics, or the match in Brisbane, in making ready a pitch that was already “looking really good”.
“He’s one of the best in the game, he’s produced I think three really good pitches for us in the last three years,” Fox stated.
“We want him to do exactly what he’s been doing and we’re not going to be influenced by the odd player comment or a journalist having things to say.
“The proof is in the pudding, so bring it on day 1.”
