'Unplayable' - Gabba pitch slammed after two-day Test

The surface used for the Test series opener between Australia and South Africa has fallen under scrutiny of the cricketing community after 34 wickets fell in less than 150 overs of play. 
 By Kashish Chadha Dec 18, 2022, 14:07 IST
Gabba

The pitch used at the iconic Gabba in Brisbane for the first Test of the marquee three-match series between Australia and South Africa has fallen under scanner after a shocking 34 wickets fell in what was ultimately a two-day outing. 

Less than 150 overs of play took place across four innings and two afternoons in a Test match that was over before the final session of Day 2 on Sunday (December 18). 

Australia managed to inch over Proteas' measly target of 34 runs at the cost of four wickets after bundling out the tourists for only 99 in the third-innings. This, having taken a crucial 66-run lead thanks to a magnificent knock of 92 from Travis Head in a team total of 218 all out, made in response to South Africa's 152 dismissed in the first-innings. 

As the pacers ruled the roost on what happened to be green carpet of a surface that accentuated the movement that Gabba generally offers to the seamers with sharp bounce, those watching wondered where the next run would come from. 

Some even questioned the merit of the surface and asked would the fans from outside the Asian bloc give it the same reading as they would to a raging turner like Ahmedabad last year, when the D/N Test between India and England was also over within 2 days. 

The Gabbatoir under scanner after two-day Test match 

It remains to be seen what reading does the ICC give to the surface used over two afternoons at the Gabba but fans and prominent faces from the cricketing world have already given their verdict to the track, which made batters' life extremely difficult to survive and manage to score runs. 

Here is how they reacted: 

 


 

 


 

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Pitch-making not being the most perfect science, one would sympathise with the curators at the Gabba, who have historically prepared tracks that offer good pace and bounce without excessive lateral movement.

Apart from the seamers, spinners who relish the bounce have enjoyed their time out in the middle, as have the batters who love the ball coming onto the quickly. 

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