‘Ancient vintage’ pitch

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 44

‘Ancient vintage’ pitch

Canterbury’s Shell Trophy cricket match with Auckland began on No. 2 ground at Eden Park only yesterday. But the actual playing surface is of much more ancient vintage. The pitch was previously used for a one-day Shell Cup game and then for the three-day Shell Trophy fixture between Auckland and Wellington in mid-January. Though there might be

southern suspicions that the host association had plotted to douse the fires of Michael Holding’s bowling, that is allegedly not the case.

Unfavourable weather has been blamed for the need to recommission a strip which had already done its duty this summer. The new pitch which was being prepared was abandoned yesterday morning, pitted with cracks and unstable underfoot.

There was plenty of evidence of previous habitation on the replacement pitch, where Wellington’s Australian leg-spinner, Bob Holland, took seven Auckland second innings wickets.

By the completion of Canterbury’s match the most worn of all stretches of turf at Eden Park will have given seven days service, with scant refurbishment between games.