Carlisle Best wants the pitch at Kensington Oval dug up
Tony Cozier03-Mar-2002Carlisle Best wants the pitch at Kensington Oval dug up.Coach Henderson Springer returns from Trinidad to report that, inBarbados Busta Cup match at the Queen’s Park Oval, balls actuallyrolled around the ground at some stages and were squatting even fromthe first day.Albert Smith, the Guyana coach, bemoans the flat, low surfaces histeam had to contend with in the two home matches at Bourda and Albionand asks for something faster.The Trinidadians, according to captain Richard Smith, were upset atthe pace and steep bounce they had to contend with on the opening dayof their match against Jamaica at the Alpart ground on Friday.And so on and so forth.It is a Caribbean theme as perennial, and as controversial, ascalypsos at Kadooment.Pitches are the centrepiece of the game, both literally andfiguratively. They not only dictate the course of a particular matchbut fashion the style of the teams that play most regularly on them.It explains, partially at least, why fast bowlers and stroke-makerstended to come from Barbados, Jamaica and Antigua, with their fast,true surfaces, fine batsmen from the run-producing environment ofGuyana and spinners from the turning tracks of Trinidad.A general change has occurred almost everywhere in the Caribbean(Anguilla seems to be the exception) and has gradually, but surely,altered the very character of West Indies cricket.The lack of pace and inconsistency of bounce that has become auniversal complaint are as good a reason as any why fast bowlers arenow in such short supply, and batsmen find it difficult to stay longenough to amass big scores.It is a problem accepted and recognised at all levels. It influencedthe West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) two years ago to initiate itsannual seminar for groundsmen of all the main grounds and appointRichard Prof Edwards as its main man is assessing and advising onpitch preparation. But it is not an exact science and solutions arenot easily found.The soil varies widely from territory to territory, even from groundto ground within an individual territory. So do the methods ofpreparation. The watering and rolling prescribed, say for KensingtonOval, differ from those at the Queen’s Park Oval.The most common recommended remedy is the straight-forward dig it upand there is no doubt every square needs to be periodically relaid.Repeated use inevitably kills the grass that binds the soil, ensuresits firmness and prevents it flaking at the surface.Several seem to have reached, and passed, that stage. Kensington isamong them.More cricket is played on the square there than ever before,especially since its resident club, Pickwick, has been obliged topractice in the middle on the International Cricket Council (ICC)directive banishing prepared pitches on the outfields of Test grounds.It is showing unmistakeable signs of wear and tear and the time hascome for the excavators to move in and for fresh soil to beinserted.The process would need several months to complete but, with theBarbados club season overlapping with the regional and internationalseason, the only way that could be done is if Pickwick could beprovided with an alternative ground and club house for the duration.It is a real dilemma.However, an entirely renewed square always the answer.Twice, in 1968 and more infamously 30 years later, they have got it sowrong at Jamaica’s Sabina Park they have had to do it all over again.The effect in 1998 was so disastrous that the Test against England wasabandoned after 9.1 overs because it was palpably too dangerous, anunwelcome entry into the history books.One of the many innovations of Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket wasthe external pitch, specially prepared away from the ground inconcrete trays and brought in by cranes to be laid in the middle priorto the season and taken back out at the end.It was necessary because his tournament was initially confined tofootball grounds with no cricket facilities but it has been used morerecently in both Australia and New Zealand, even for specific matches.They have even discussed its potential at Lord’s.But we’re talking about the West Indies here where floodlights andcomfortable seating remain a dream, even at the start of the 21stcentury. Imported pitches? Not likely.Instead, we have to rely on the knowledge and dedication of theground staff and the attention the WICB and member boards now appearmore inclined to pay to such an essential aspect of the game.