Curator shares insights about pitch for Perth Test

Perth's stadium curator, Isaac McDonald, has made adjustments to the pitch ahead of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, set to start on Thursday.

In contrast to last year's pitch, which saw Australia's victory over the West Indies in four and a half days, McDonald has deliberately introduced more cracks to expedite the pitch's deterioration this time around. 

Despite the pitch not breaking up as quickly as McDonald had initially hoped in the previous match, he is now aiming for a faster degradation to add an extra layer of challenge to the upcoming Test.

While talking to CODE Sports, McDonald disclosed that he has adopted a slightly altered strategy in preparing the pitch for the first Test. The key change involves removing more grass from the top surface to make it slightly harder.

“My theory is to have it a little bit harder on top and a little bit less grass and see what impact that has on the game,” McDonald said.

Furthermore, McDonald emphasized the importance of providing a playing surface that delivers optimal conditions for pace and bounce.

"Grass is pace and bounce. That’s what people are looking for, and that’s essentially what I’m looking for in a really good long-format wicket," he further added.