CRICKET West Indies (CWI) head curator Kent Crafton recently spoke about the challenges faced with the pitches during the ICC T20 World Cup. He mentioned that despite the pitches being in good condition, they lacked proper management throughout the tournament. Crafton oversees the pitches at six different venues, some of which received criticism for being bowler-friendly. The drop-in pitches in New York and Florida also faced complaints about uneven bounce.
During the tournament, batsmen struggled with no centuries recorded and 11 instances of teams being bowled out for less than 100 runs. Crafton cited unusually hot weather in the weeks leading up to the event as a contributing factor to the pitch issues.
In particular, the pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Trinidad was heavily scrutinized after the first semi-final match between Afghanistan and South Africa. Afghanistan struggled and were dismissed for just 56 runs due to uneven bounce and exaggerated seam movement on the pitch. Post-match, Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott expressed his disappointment with the conditions.
Crafton acknowledged the challenges faced in preparing a good pitch and highlighted the importance of proper management to maintain a consistent playing surface. He explained the process of thinning and grooming the grass on a pitch to ensure optimal playing conditions. The preferred grass for warm climates, like the Caribbean, is Bermuda grass.
Although Crafton was not involved in curating the pitches at the US venues, he speculated that the grass used on the drop-in pitches may have been thicker than necessary. He emphasized the need for thinning the grass to achieve the desired playing conditions.
When discussing the possibility of introducing drop-in pitches in the Caribbean, Crafton expressed confidence in the region’s curators to continue using traditional methods effectively. He believes that with more commitment and support, the curators can prepare quality pitches for international competitions.
