Pitch will help spinners: Srikkanth

MUMBAI, FEB. 22. The `home advantage' was articulated by the Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's Pitch and Grounds' Committee Krishnamachari Srikkanth at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. ``The directions have been very clear. And the pitch has been prepared that way. It's a sporting pitch and it will help the Indian spinners,'' said Srikkanth.

``I have been repeating the same lines like a parrot. It's impossible to predict a pitch. I am not a good reader of a pitch. What I can say is there will be predictable bounce. It will not be a bad track. The grass will be removed in a phased manner. Our idea is not to give green tops at this stage. We have to do it over a period of time so that the players will gradually get used to the changed conditions.''

More than a week ago captain Sachin Tendulkar had told Mumbai Cricket Association officials that the surface appeared to be very hard. Srikkanth's statement that the nicks will carry to the close in fielders only confirmed the first opinion expressed by Tendulkar. ``It will give maximum advantage to our spinners,'' said Srikkanth.

The Indians are prepared to go into the first Test with the three spinners, Anil Kumble, Nikhil Chopra and Murali Kartik. The last two will be making their debut in a Test match.

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Section  : Sport
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