Morne Morkel disappointed with 'India-like' Centurion pitch

The Indian team has done well to withstand the South African pressure in the ongoing second Test at Supersport Park in Centurion. However, a lot can be accounted for the pitch conditions that have been on offer. Protea seamer Morne Morkel, whose career began at the same venue, stated that the conditions are really tough for the quicks. The 33-year-old opined that it ‘feels like bowling in India,’ on a surface that traditionally provides assistance.

Morkel, till now is the only player to offer something more than a mere acknowledgement that the surface is not quite what South Africa had desired. He also conceded that bowling at Centurion felt like being close to India than at home. With temperatures soaring in the mid-30s along with high humidity, Morkel delivered 22.1 overs over two days, more than any other quick, and subsequently reaped most of the rewards.

The lack of bounce and pace, however, implied that the ball be tossed to a spinner. And that’s what South Africa had to resort to as the new ball was handed over to Keshav Maharaj when they had one over to bowl before lunch on Day 2 during India’s first innings.

It’s like playing in the subcontinent

Speaking on the same lines Morkel said, “I have played cricket here all my life and I have never seen a wicket like this at SuperSport Park. It was really hard work. With the heat and conditions tough, it was one of the hardest spells I’ve bowled.”

He added, “It’s unheard of that a spinner bowls that amount of overs on the first day. We even took the option to open in the over before lunch with a spinner. There’s a very subcontinental feel to it. It’s tough scoring and tough to get people out. Luckily we’ve got some experience of that in the bank. But they are not the conditions that we want here in South Africa.”

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