Last Updated on 2 years by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: Gabba pitch rated “below average” by ICC | ICC hands below average rating for the Gabba pitch

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given a below average rating to Gabba pitch for the recently-concluded two-day-long first Test between Australia and South Africa. Match referee Richie Richardson went to the extent of asserting that the contest was ‘not an even contest between the bat and the ball.’

“Overall, the Gabba pitch for this Test match was too much in favour of the bowlers. There was extra bounce and occasional excessive seam movement,” Richardson’s comment was quoted in a report by abc.net.au.

The ICC will thus give Gabba its first demerit point following this judgement. A stadium is banned from hosting international matches for 12 months if it receives five demerit points across a five-year rolling period. Previously, the track in Gabba obtained a ‘very good’ rating for the Test vs Pakistan in 2019, a ‘good’ rating for the match against India in early-2021 and an ‘average’ one for the Ashes Test vs England late last year.

Gabba pitch sees second-shortest Test in Australian history

The first of the three-match series between Australia and South Africa got wrapped up in merely 144.2 overs across four innings. It was the second-shortest Test match since World War II and attracted the criticism of opposition skipper Dean Elgar who reckoned that the pitch was not a good advertisement of Test cricket.

“I don’t think it was a very good Test wicket. You’ve got to ask yourself the question, is that a good advertisement for our format?” the southpaw said after the game.

South Africa were bowled out for 152 and 99 respectively with only Kyle Verreynne showing some resistance with a 66-run knock in first essay of play, along with Temba Bavuma in both innings. Travis Head’s 92 powered the home side to take a crucial lead of 66 runs in the first innings. Skipper Pat Cummins took a five-wicket haul to bundle the Proteas in the second innings and Australia lost four wickets to chase down 36 runs eventually.

The win helped Australia put a crucial step ahead in their bid to qualify for the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23. Cummins’ men are placed atop the standings currently but have to emerge victorious in these home encounters before they embark on a challenging four-match series in India in February-March 2023.