Dubai, Jan 8 The International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed pitch ratings for the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with four of the five Test venues receiving the highest possible rating of "very good".
Perth Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Gabba and Melbourne Cricket Ground received "very good" ratings, whereas the venue of the final Test of th series Sydney Cricket Ground was given "satisfactory" ratings.
The ICC revamped its pitch rating system in 2023, simplifying the previous six-tier structure to four categories: Very Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, Unfit.
Under this system, venues that receive unsatisfactory or unfit ratings are penalised with demerit points. Accumulating five demerit points within a five-year period could result in the venue being banned from hosting international matches.
Peter Roach, Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling at Cricket Australia (CA), expressed his satisfaction with the ICC’s ratings and highlighted the importance of pitch diversity in preserving the essence of Test cricket.
“We are delighted by the quality of pitches produced for the NRMA Insurance Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and grateful for all the hard work of the curators and venues across the country.
“We encourage pitches that bring out the unique characteristics of that venue and this has long been a feature of Australian cricket. We strongly believe that this is one of the reasons that Test cricket is so popular in Australia.
“We don't look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series. What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result.
“Weather obviously plays a significant part in preparation and we know that even our most skilled curators are challenged at times by adverse weather.
“The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins. This year was a step in the right direction to achieving this which provided an exciting finish to the Border Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer in 2025-26.
“The series also emphasised the benefits of playing first-class cricket at major venues. It allows our curators to become more familiar with the different challenges that go into preparing wickets in different weather conditions, and also allows players to enter the Test team familiar with the conditions they will confront.”
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