Turf manager predicting runs aplenty in Hamilton

Lynn McConnell

January 13, 2003

Hamilton turf manager Doug Strachan has never been short of a good comment or two about his cricket block and he reckons if both New Zealand and India want some practice for the World Cup tomorrow they will get it in the final match of the National Bank Series.

He's confidently expecting 550 runs to be scored on the Westpac Park track.

"It is that good a track," he said.

"I'm very proud of this pitch," he added.

While it has been relaid for this summer, he said he was doubly careful in its preparation after the disappointments of the Test earlier in the summer when he was caught out by a late turn in the weather.

Not normally someone who worries too much about media comment on his pitches, he admitted that after the second Test he had gone out and sought newspaper comment and when the pitch prompted a comment by Indian captain Sourav Ganguly that it was "the worst pitch in the world" he went out and got a copy of the Waikato Times [local newspaper] billboard that featured the question.

It now hangs on the inside of his office door to remind him of the pitfalls that await the unsuspecting.

And tomorrow's pitch won't be the worst in the world.

© Cricinfo

Add to del.icio.us | digg this | Stumble It What's this? If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content on cricket, you may use these buttons. When you add them to any of these sites, you "social bookmark" them for others to find and rate. More on del.icio.us>> More on digg>> More on stumbleupon>> Close

NEW: West Indies v Australia fantasy cricket game Enter your teams here Live scores, results, news, features and more - just a click away Download the Cricinfo Toolbar Cricinfo on the go - our mobile services WAP, Genie and Mobicast

Series/Tournaments

India tour of New Zealand

Teams

India

New Zealand

Grounds

Seddon Park