The Hindu : Sport : Curator rules out green top at MCG

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Monday, Dec 24, 2007
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Curator rules out green top at MCG

It’s sure to come as music to the visitors’ ears

Melbourne: In what is sure to come as music to the visitors’ ears, pitch doctor Tony Ware virtually ruled out a green top at the MCG and advocated the inclusion of left-arm spinner Brad Hogg for the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia.

Ware rued poor weather did not allow him to prepare the pitch well and said it would not seam much.

In such case, it would be ideal for Australia to go into the match with three pacers and a spinner in Hogg, especially with enough purchase for the tweakers on offer, Ware argued.

“I still don’t think it will seam any more than usual. My personal view would be to go for a balanced attack with a spinner in it.

“Shane Warne got a five-for on the first day of the Boxing Day Test last year, and we’ve been getting turn in all the Pura Cup games this year. The weather is shocking but I still think we’ll have a pitch that isn’t too greened-up,” the curator was quoted as saying by ‘The Age’ on Sunday.

Ware was upset with inclement weather which, he rued, hampered pitch preparation for the series opener.

“In a perfect world we would have 10 days of mild weather before the game, but we’ve had our Test track under the covers for the last three days and that’s not ideal for us.

“I’m not overly concerned yet. We need a break in the weather, though, so we can get the covers off. We basically need one good day to finish things off. We’re at the mercy of the weather,” he said.

Ware’s observation would definitely make the Australian think-tank review their initial plan of unleashing a four-pronged pace attack, comprising Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson, against the Indians. — PTI

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