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Former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine labelled the SCG pitch as an "absolute disgrace" which was produced for the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania.
A total of 24 wickets went down on the third day as Tasmania were bowled out for a paltry score of 68. The 24 wickets that fell came in across just 63 overs. Batter found it hard to deal with the seam as well as the uneven bounce that the pitch offered. "That wicket was absolute disgrace. This a Test venue in the strongest state in the country, and they rolled that up. That's embarrassing. The ball was seaming sideways, it was going up and down, it wasn't fit for first-class cricket. That was a disgraceful wicket. I haven't spoken to people, but you could see it on the screen it had those cracks where it's like got grass over it. You don't even see that in club cricket," Paine told SEN Tassie as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. Paine further went on to question how can a surface be produced at a venue that is considered to be one of the major Test cricketing grounds. He even stated that the condition of the pitch undermined the Sheffield Shield competition. "What's going on at Cricket New South Wales or the SCG? That was such a bad wicket to play cricket on. Whether we won or lost, whatever, I could have bowled on that and taken wickets. It's not good enough," Paine said. "How that can happen at one of the premier Test venues around the world is a disgrace. That was below standard for grade cricket and this is meant to be the premier first-class cricket competition in the world, and that is meant to be one of the iconic Test match venues... and that's what we are getting served up," Paine added. SCG will be a pitch that is going to be used during Australia's Test series against Pakistan which is shaping to be the farewell match. Nathan Lyon who was also a part of the match feels that the pitch won't bear resemblance to the Pakistan game and said, "I expect totally different," he said. (ANI)
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