Less grass expected for this year’s day-night Test pitch

Adelaide Oval’s carefully prepared day/night Test pitch has been tweaked as a result of last summer’s day three finish to offer less to bowlers – two millimetres less to be precise.

The height of the grass on the surface was a major talking point in the aftermath of the inaugural floodlit Test, with Australia’s captain Steven Smith and his New Zealand counterpart Brendon McCullum both reasoning the experimental pink ball would be no worse off for more extensive use of the lawn mower.

What would change, though, was the amount of seam movement on offer to the bowlers. Batsmen, administrators, broadcasters and sponsors would all prefer a match that lasts until the fourth evening at least, meaning the seamers who prospered last year will likely be the chief parties disappointed by the curator Damian Hough’s latest creation.

“Preparation-wise still leaving a bit of grass on it,” he said. “We’re bringing the starting height down and the finished height will be down another 2mm from last year.

“In review of last year, which was a good learning experience, leaving the grass on it assisted the quicks a little bit more. We …

continue reading in source www.espncricinfo.com