CA plan to build pitches using Indian soil

Australia

Cricket Australia are thinking about building spin-specific practice pitches at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, and want to import soil from India to try and replicate sub-continent conditions.

Cricket Australia are thinking about building spin-specific practice pitches at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, and want to import soil from India to try and replicate sub-continent conditions.

Australia's batsmen have not been good at playing against spin in recent years, especially away from home, and with their next Test series in the UAE against Pakistan, they will need to find a solution if they want to keep their number one ranking.

Skipper Michael Clarke said: "Our toughest challenge the last few years has been having success away from home. We didn't play well in India. I don't know, but I am guessing the wickets in Dubai will be similar.

"I am guessing they will prepare wickets that spin and they will have two or three spinners in those teams. We have to find a way to get better. That is one of our great challenges as a Test team."

CA director of team performance, Pat Howard, said: "A third of all our matches are in the subcontinent, so you've got to be able to deal with it.

"While we do practise here against spin … we know it's not as real as being there. We're never going to make it exactly the same, but we're going to try to get as close as we can.

"The subcontinent [pitch] idea has been around for a long time and we're very much trying to make this a place where in the middle of winter guys can get themselves ready and prepared.

"Some players in our system are fantastic at using their feet and playing against spin, but our collective experience has got to get better."

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