Subhayan Chakraborty in Adelaide
As the Indian team geared up for the upcoming day-night Test against Australia with a two-day warm-up against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, Damian Hough, the chief curator at Adelaide Oval, has begun preparing the pitch for the second match of the five-Test series, scheduled to start on December 6.
With only one media house present and only a handful of stadium staff at the venue, Hough, along with one of his assistants, was seen readying the pitch for the pink-ball Test. This preparation is crucial because playing with a pink ball necessitates specific pitch conditions, typically requiring at least seven millimeters of grass cover.
On Saturday, the pitch appeared lush and green. Around noon, Hough, alone, walked across the turf to fetch a massive roller, the Mentay Hydra-Glide, commonly used for pitch preparation in Australia. This heavy roller helps in creating an even, hard, and true cricket pitch. An interesting pattern emerged as Hough operated the roller; he not only rolled it sideways and horizontally but also diagonally. Given the substantial grass coverage, there was little to no risk of the pitch breaking down from this rolling.
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As Hough worked, another staff member drove in with a buggy and placed a yellow device on the pitch, used to measure its firmness and the grass height. This equipment, typically employed by civil engineers for concrete and soil projects, is vital for ensuring the pitch’s consistency, especially since Adelaide Oval uses drop-in pitches which require regular checks for firmness and moisture levels.
However, their work was shrouded in secrecy. Perhaps the curators were keen to avoid media scrutiny, especially with Australia under pressure after their 295-run defeat in Perth. We were politely asked to leave the premises, being informed that the stadium was closed over the weekend. On Sunday, when we attempted another visit, we found the entrance doors locked with pitch preparation continuing in seclusion. This was in contrast to the uproar in Australian media when the Indian team had set up black curtains around their nets at the WACA in Perth to avoid curious onlookers, highlighting the privacy concerns, now mirrored by Australia ahead of the Adelaide Test.
With Australia opting for privacy at this stage, the series has evidently taken on an added layer of intrigue.
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