It’s kind of smooth, rather less inexperienced and most significantly, the identical for everybody.
That is the evaluation from South African batting coach Justin Sammons after his first take a look at the MCG pitch for the Boxing Day Check.
Declaring that the landmark annual Check is the stuff that desires are product of, Sammons is confidently predicting an enormous South African comeback after their shambolic Brisbane loss.
What the MCG pitch will supply has taken on larger significance after Australia skittled South Africa in solely two days earlier this week on the Gabba.
The ICC rated the inexperienced high for the primary Check as beneath common.
Sammons mentioned on Friday it was powerful to evaluate the MCG pitch, given it’s nonetheless three days earlier than the toss.
However he was adamant that the state of the Gabba deck was no excuse for his or her capitulation.
“It was just a little bit smooth,” he mentioned.
“Each groups play on it… we will not use the circumstances as an excuse.
“The underside line is we did not play to our potential. It is who adapts greatest.”
He laughed nervously when requested to match the MCG pitch to the Gabba deck.
“It is totally different in its shade complexion… just a little bit much less inexperienced,” he mentioned.
This can be South Africa’s first Boxing Day Check in Australia since 2008, once they received by 9 wickets.
“All people could be very excited – that is what desires are product of,” he mentioned.
“All people right here in our squad would have dreamed of taking part in in a Boxing Day Check on the MCG, so it is about embracing it … simply embracing the problem.”
He additionally famous that South Africa have been at their greatest this time with their backs towards the wall, rallying from 1-Zero right down to tie their Check collection towards New Zealand and beating India 2-1.
“Over the past yr, funnily sufficient, we have performed our greatest cricket once we’ve been behind,” he mentioned.
“It isn’t one thing we’re afraid of doing. The boys are up for the problem.”
