It’s not the pitch, it’s the cricketer who plays on it
BRIAN Lara scored his record 375 runs in a single innings against England on the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John’s, Antigua, in April 1994. West Indies (WI) made 593 for five wickets declared. It was the fifth Test of a five-match series and WI were already leading three to one. In their turn at the crease, England were bowled out for 593, equalling the WI total.
In the euphoria created by the Lara innings, the pitch escaped criticism.In the fifth Test of the English summer in 1976 played at the Oval in London, Michael Holding, 23, collected 14 wickets that helped WI win the Test. The pitch was referred to as a “dead wicket” by Tony Cozier and the English press.
The Jamaican picked up eight in the first innings and six in the second. Afterwards, when asked how he accomplished this phenomenal feat, the youngster explained that because he had no assistance from the pitch, he decided to concentrate every delivery on the line of the stumps and on a good length.Curtly Ambrose captured six wickets for 24 runs on an easy-paced wicket at the Queen’s Park Oval in the third Test in 1994, bowling out England for 46 runs.
Courtney Walsh at Wellington, New Zealand claimed 7 for 37 and 6 for 18 after WI scored 660 for five declared to win the second Test in 1995 on a perfect batting strip.
In the euphoria created by the Lara innings, the pitch escaped criticism.In the fifth Test of the English summer in 1976 played at the Oval in London, Michael Holding, 23, collected 14 wickets that helped WI win the Test. The pitch was referred to as a “dead wicket” by Tony Cozier and the English press.
The Jamaican picked up eight in the first innings and six in the second. Afterwards, when asked how he accomplished this phenomenal feat, the youngster explained that because he had no assistance from the pitch, he decided to concentrate every delivery on the line of the stumps and on a good length.Curtly Ambrose captured six wickets for 24 runs on an easy-paced wicket at the Queen’s Park Oval in the third Test in 1994, bowling out England for 46 runs.
Courtney Walsh at Wellington, New Zealand claimed 7 for 37 and 6 for 18 after WI scored 660 for five declared to win the second Test in 1995 on a perfect batting strip.
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