The Trent Bridge pitch has caused consternation amongst the English ranks for being supposedly sub-continental-like on the first day of the first Test. Curator Steven Birks said the pitch did not turn out the way he had intended it to be.
The Indian batsmen occupied the crease and did well to notch up 259 runs for the loss of 4 wickets, with opener Murali Vijay not out on 122 on the first day. The English bowlers struggled to make inroads on a wicket the Indians were pleasantly surprised to receive on the first day of a new Test series outside the subcontinent.
"We wanted to produce a pitch with pace, bounce and carry which hasn't happened unfortunately," The Telegraph quoted the curator.
Birks attributed the apparently docile state of the wicket to a variety of factors.
"There's quite a lot of moisture underneath but it's a hard surface on top which is why it's lacking pace. The moisture readings taken earlier in the week were quite high and we haven't seen enough of the sun to really bake it out," the curator said.
The instruction for the ground staff at Trent Bridge was to prepare a "good cricket wicket", he added.
However, Birks hoped the surface might have more pace in it as the match progresses. Interestingly, spin may not play a prominent part on this wicket.
"I don't expect spin to come into it," Birks said.
The pitch has already prompted criticism from former players.
"You might as well be playing in Chennai with this wicket," former English all-rounder Ian Botham was of the opinion.
English pace-bowling spearhead James Anderson also expressed concerns about the supposedly slow nature of the surface.
"Two days out we could see the pitch was not going to have huge amount of pace in it. That is something you just got to try and put out of your mind. We are as frustrated as everyone else watching," the seamer said.
At this point, with the Indians batting well and looking to consolidate their position, things are beginning to look ominous for England. Unless they use the conditions to their advantage and make inroads, a long match lies ahead for the English.
