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Pakistan.
In the first test, 19 wickets fall within two days.

In the second test on the same wicket, 20 wickets fall on day one.

How is this conducive to test cricket?
Granted both teams are subjected to the same conditions, but test cricket is supposed to be a contest between ball and bat.
On this wicket, there is no contest. Conditions are heavily skewed in favor of the bowler.

Given this, it is no wonder that the match end within three days.
This is an absolute rubbish of a wicket.
The ICC should investigate.

In reply to embsallie

Clearly, the advantage is with the bowlers, especially, the spinners on this type of surface.

However, on a wider scale, there are problems with wickets being suited to batsmen. I would rather watch a match that brings a result inside three days than see scores of 600/5 dec, 500 etc, etc in a dull draw over five days.

You mentioned the key word, contest. Ideally, the pitch should offer batsmen and bowlers alike conditions that offer some assistance. One of the great things about test cricket though, is the variation in surfaces and playing conditions around the world. From green seaming pitches in New Zealand and England, to fast, bouncy tracks in Australia and slow, low turners in the subcontinent. Personally, I have always loved the variety and what it brings to the viewer seeing the challenges the players face.

Why don't you argue that Batman should learn to play good spin bowling and the problem solved right there no matter how they prepare spinning pitches the problem is not the pitches the problem is the Batman who can't bat good spin bowling ..

In reply to embsallie

Madness

In reply to embsallie

It’s great for test cricket….I have no issues with teams preparing conditions that are more conducive to their strengths….
West Indies and Oz used to prepare pitches that favored pace….the Pommies and New Zealand used to prepare seam friendly pitches ….it all helps to enrich the game

In reply to cricketfreak

Point taken, but you are telling me that this Pakistan team does not have batsmen who can play spin?

From 22 batters only a tailender ended up with a fifty which is considered an average score.......(enough to keep you on the team for the next game).

Are you also saying that England does not have good batters of spin? The same thing happened here.

I do not agree with the notion that batsmen should learn to play spin bowling on this wicket. It does not provide a means of allowing batsmen to settle down.

a

Actually, I kinda enjoy this
Sometimes test cricket can be so boring with scores of 500+...this got you on the edge

two bad teams playing against each other on a turning but not demonic pitch

3 days is an extremely generous estimate. This match will probably end by tea tomorrow and be the shortest test match in history

Interesting. All these wickets falling and not a single mention of glue pitch

In reply to imusic

I watch until lunch, the stripe was impossible to play on, even the Pakies did not fear well on it.

Pakinly started this one home series ago after losing the 1stvtest to Poms but determined to win the series. They touredOz with good pace attack. India has been doing so for a decade but got trounce at their own game by Kiwis

In reply to embsallie

Is that really why they don't want to tour Pakistan?

Pakistan's home record has been in shambles. Hence they have made these pitches. I agree they have gone too far with these pitches. People who say "batsmen should learn to play here" don't know what they are talking about. Australia/England lost in Bangladesh on similar rank turner where batting was very hard. These pitches make average spinner look way better than they are.

In reply to black

That too.
But in keeping with my New Year Resolution, I left the the unsavory part out.

I think a huge difference between past and current West Indies cricketers, past players view cricket as a war!

You don’t tell the enemy how to plan their strategies!

You navigate and capitalize on their weaknesses!

Crying about pitches is not for warriors!

The emasculation of men is happening too often and in too many different areas!

In reply to embsallie