ZCZC
BSP-18
CRICKET-NIXON-HYBRID-PITCH
Nixon advocates for hybrid pitch for Bangladesh cricket’s development
DHAKA, Dec 29, 2019 (BSS)- Chattogram Challengers head coach Paul Nixon believes that Bangladesh needs hybrid pitch in a bid to get them used to the bouncy wicket in which the players often find them vulnerable.
The hybrid pitch, which is 80 percent artificial, is being used in the England now as it helps the batsman to cope with the bounce and movement of the ball.
Recently SIS Pitches has installed pioneering hybrid cricket pitches at County Cricket Clubs across the United Kingdom ahead of the 2019 cricket season, which Nixon as a coach of Leicestershire observed at first hand.
The report found that the pitches improved surface stability, reduced wear, reduced bowler foot holes and significantly extended hours of playing time.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) became the first to install two trial wickets using SIS Grass technology at the prestigious National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough and they have now approved hybrid pitches for use in the Royal London One Day Cup, Vitality Blast and all formats of second XI cricket for the 2019 season.
Nixon’s suggestion to use hybrid pitch in this country came in the wake of the situation of the Bangladeshi batsmen’s struggle in the pitches which carry bounce and movement. Recently in India, Bangladeshi batsmen failed to cope with the bouncy wicket and failed miserably to loss both of the Tests by an innings margin.
Even in New Zealand at the start of the year, Bangladesh struggled badly to adjust with the bouncy wicket.
“We have hybrid pitches in UK. Hybrid pitches is 80 percent artificial and there is bounce on the wicket. It makes the ball more bounce more and carry and it can really help Bangladesh. When they will go abroad they will find bit more carry and bounce and playing in hybrid pitches will help them prepare to deal with that,” Nixon said here today.
”I think Bangladesh cricket should invest in hybrid wicket and I will definitely write that in my findings in Bangladesh at the end of the tournament,” he added.
Hybrid cricket pitches have now been installed at Surrey, Lord’s, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Durham, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and at Loughborough University.
BSS/SMP/AU/18:40 hrs