AUS vs SA: "I actually think it will get a poor rating" - Ricky Ponting on the Gabba deck used in 1st Test
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting reckons a 'poor' rating for the Gabba pitch used for the first against South Africa following a two-day finish. While the Tasmanian expressed surprise at how green the pitch was, he criticized the excessive seam movement off the deck.
Australia won the first Test against South Africa at the Gabba in Brisbane by six wickets in one and a half days. It was the shortest Test match in Australia since 1931 as it lasted only 143.4 overs, with 34 wickets falling. The Proteas had set a mere 34 to win in the fourth innings; however, Australia lost four batters before reaching the target.
Australia get the job done. But not without a few scares! #AUSvSA
Speaking to Channel seven after the game, Ponting stated that he has not seen a pitch as green as it was at this venue. The 48-year-old believes the track will come under scrutiny and expects a poor rating from the ICC.
"I haven’t seen one as green. Matthew Hayden played here more than me, and he hasn’t seen one as green. And Justin Langer said he hasn’t seen one as green. There wasn’t a lot of moisture was there? There was a little bit of moisture on the surface on day one, probably what you would expect from the Gabba. But what we have seen is excessive seam movement. I actually think it will get a poor rating."
South African captain Dean Elgar questioned whether 34 wickets falling in two days makes for a good advert for Test cricket and demanded that it must go to day four or five. The southpaw also revealed that the umpires ignored his questions about the track misbehaving when asked.
"I don’t think that the batting teams are that bad" - Ricky Ponting
While Ponting recognized that Australia and South Africa are bowling powerhouses, he revealed that a few batters have cited it as the most challenging wicket to bat on.
Ponting added:
"To have 22 wickets fall in the first four sessions of a Test match says to me these are very, very good bowling teams, no doubt about that, but I don’t think that the batting teams are that bad. Speaking to some of the players this morning, they seemed to think it is as difficult a surface they have ever played on.
"A lot of these guys have played a lot of cricket. They have played on some pretty tough wickets in different places around the world."
How's this for a first over after lunch?! #AUSvSA https://t.co/JGqoMyAsph
The second Test starts on December 26th at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).