NEW DELHI: The opening Test of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India is set to kick off on Friday at Perth Stadium, and all eyes are on the pitch curated by 27-year-old Isaac McDonald. Known for producing some of the fastest and bounciest surfaces in world cricket, the Perth pitch is expected to continue its tradition of challenging both batters and bowlers in equal measure.
McDonald, preparing the Test strip at the venue, has been carefully monitoring the conditions, especially with a forecast of up to 10mm of rain over the next few days. The curator is balancing the need to retain enough moisture to prevent excessive cracking with the risk of overwatering if more rain than expected arrives.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
“In terms of pace and bounce, that [ODI] pitch was really good,” McDonald was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au, referencing the recent ODI between Australia and Pakistan, where the surface provided explosive bounce but resulted in a low-scoring match with Australia bowled out for 140. “The Pakistan attack was quite skiddy, but when guys like [Australia’s] Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson were really banging it into the wicket — not so much bowling short balls but hitting the surface a bit harder — that’s when it was really coming through.”
McDonald believes the Test pitch will exhibit similar characteristics, explaining that moisture readings from the preparation process align closely with those from the ODI. “So far, I’ve done a few tests on the [Test] wicket’s moisture content readings, and we’re about similar,” he noted. “So it’s just whether or not the weather wants to play its part and I can hold it there or have to add a bit more moisture.”
The young curator admitted to feeling the pressure of his high-profile role but also expressed pride in preparing what is regarded as the fastest track in world cricket. “The hour before the first ball, it’s horrible,” McDonald confessed. “You just want it to start, to make sure it’s all good and the ball gets through to the ‘keeper nicely and the batters are playing some strokes. Then I can relax and start to enjoy the spectacle of what the Test match actually is.”
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Despite his nerves, McDonald views them as a sign of his dedication to his craft. “I do get quite nervous, but I guess that means it matters because I care about the success of the game and about the facility as a whole. So maybe if I didn’t get nervous, it might be a bad thing,” he added with a smile.
Fans and players alike will hope the Perth pitch lives up to its reputation, promising a thrilling contest between the world’s top two Test sides in the opening act of this prestigious series.
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