Experts criticise Wanderers pitch, term it 'dangerous'
26 Jan 2018 5:08 PM GMT
Johannesburg: The Wanderers pitch on offer for the ongoing third cricket Test between India and South Africa has come in for sharp criticism with former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding terming the surface "dangerous".
"This pitch, I think, is dangerous. I would hate to be a batsman on this pitch given what I am seeing happening out there at the moment on the third day of a Test match," Holding said.
"Look, I am happy with lateral movement, like we saw in the first Test (at Cape Town). I have no problem with that.
But when balls start exploding off a length and people start getting hit left, right and centre, I don't think that's a good pitch," he added.
The Wanderers' pitch has coming under criticism from former cricketers and commentators for its dangerous nature.
The talk of the entire third day was about the uneven bounce of the track with some of the cracks on good length and short of it opening up.
As many as three Indian and one South African batsmen were hit on day three as the ball rose from good length area.
Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli were hit on their hands in the morning session, in the 31st and 35th overs respectively, while Ajinkya Rahane was hit too post lunch, in the 58th over.
All instances happened off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada.
Later in the day chasing 241 runs for a win, Deal Elgar was struck on his hand by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the third over of their second innings.
Holding, here on commentary duty with official broadcaster Super Sport, also criticised the pitch on air as well.
He rated the pitch "2 out of 100" and called for the abandonment of the game as early as the pre-lunch session.
"They should have called it off when (Murali) Vijay got hit," Holding later explained, off air.
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