'Better wicket at Motera'

Saturday March 29, 02:31 AM

With over 1,000 runs for just 11 wickets on the first three days of the opening Test between India and South Africa bringing flat wickets into focus, the curator in Ahmedabad - the venue of the second match - has promised a track that will give the bowlers more assistance.

"The wicket here will be different. What you are seeing in Chennai, you will not see here," Dhiraj Parsana said on Friday. The Ahmedabad Test starts on April 3.

"There will be a bit of grass on the wicket, which will offer some movement to the seamers on day one. It will be easier for batting from the post-lunch session on the second day, and will be effective for spinners on the last two days," he said.

But curators' comments about their wickets are usually taken with a pinch of salt. Even before the Chennai Test, the groundsmen had offered a "sporting" track.

The last Test in Ahmedabad, played between India and Sri Lanka in December 2005, had ended in four days with India winning by 259 runs. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh had shared 17 wickets between themselves. "That was a turning track," Parsana agreed.

Keeping everyone happy

"This is the first time that we wll be offering a truly sporting wicket. It is very important now to have result-oriented tracks that have something for all three departments - batting, fast bowling and spin - with Twenty20 breathing down the neck of Test cricket," he added.

About what a skipper should do on winning the toss, Parsana's advice was clear. "No captain wants to bat on the final day. So, either captain would like to bat first here," he said.

"If the temperature remains high like this (38 degrees Celsius yesterday), the moisture will dry up quickly. The wicket will slow down, and it may start turning from the second day."

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