Brisbane, Dec 18: South Africa skipper Dean Elgar was critical of the Gabba pitch after losing the opening Test against Australia inside two days, terming it a “pretty spicy” track which didn’t allow a “fair” contest.
As many as 34 wickets fell in two days as South Africa were bowled out for 152 and 99 with Australia claiming a six-wicket win.
“Still trying to wrap my head around what’s happened. Pretty spicy wicket, bowlers were licking their lips. Challenging for the batters which is okay, but on the flipside I don’t see this as a fair contest,” Elgar said after the match.
It was the second-fastest Test ever completed in Australia as only 867 balls were bowled, fetching 15 wickets on the first day and another 19 on the second day.
“You’ve gotta ask yourself it that’s a good advertisement for Test cricket,” Elgar told Foxsports.
“I did ask the umpires … how long does it go on for until it potentially is unsafe.”
It was the first time in 91 years that a Test has finished inside two days in Australia and former players, including Mark Waugh, too criticised the surface.
“I guess you’ve got to question, has this pitch got too much grass on it? I think the groundsmen will have a look at that,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“We know the Gabba does have grass but, I don’t know, it looks a bit unfair for the batsmen at the moment.” Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting also slammed the wicket which turned out to be a minefield for batters, saying it might get a “poor” rating from the ICC. (AP)
