Cricket: No potholes in my wicket, says Eden Park groundsman

By RICHARD BOOCK

Eden Park groundsman Mark Perham has declared his pitch a pot-hole-free zone as all eyes turn to the second test at Auckland, which starts on Thursday.

Fresh from playing on the side of what looked like a lunar crater at Hamilton, New Zealand and South Africa will now steel themselves for the unveiling of the Eden Park drop-in pitch, which is another Kakanui clay-based surface.

Perham said he was confident his pitch would not need any treatment from "Bill and Ben the Pothole men", and that it would bear little resemblance to the docile wicket prepared last month for the first one-dayer of the series.

Although a "virgin" pitch, Perham said the test wicket had initially been prepared for the Pakistan tour game against Auckland in December, a match later transferred to Eden Park's outer oval.

"Because it was set for December, it's had a lot more preparation and work than the other ones and should prove a good test wicket," he said.

"It's pretty green right now but that's good because we're still a few days out and we always want to retain a little grass for the start of a five-day match." Perham had followed proceedings during the opening test at Westpac Park, a match that was on the verge of being abandoned yesterday after fears that the surface was becoming dangerous.

He said the development was a groundsman's worst nightmare, but was adamant there would be no similar problems in Auckland. "There'll be no worries about that here."

The test pitch was dropped into its tray last Tuesday and had reached the necessary degree of compaction to offer good pace and bounce, something to interest both the batsmen and bowlers, he said.

"It's now just a matter of looking after the grass."