The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Sabina Park pitch will ensure a result: groundsman Charlie

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 29, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

Sabina Park pitch will ensure a result: groundsman Charlie

Special Correspondent

Kingston: Sabina Park groundsman Charlie has said the playing strip for the fourth Test here will ensure a result. ``It won't be a draw. There will be a result in this match if rain doesn't interrupt play. This pitch will be different from the ones Tests have been played on in the series so far,'' said the 62-year-old on Tuesday.

``The ball will bounce and move about. It would be a typical Sabina Park wicket where the good batsman will score runs and good bowlers will take wickets,'' said Charlie, who has been associated with the ground for 42 years. ``It's yet to be prepared fully but this will be a sporting wicket. It would be wet and will have a lot of moisture left. The juice in the wicket would facilitate bounce.''

Bat first

Yet, Charlie said if it were up to him, he would bat first on the track. What about those shiny Sabina Park pitches of lore that allowed a player to check his reflection? ``Used to make the roller dance to get the shine on the pitch,'' said Charlie. Evidently, he doesn't any longer. Preparing and reading pitches is an inexact science, and for the sake of the series, one hopes Charlie's words come true.

Earlier, Team India landed here at the Norman Manley airport on Tuesday afternoon.

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