Australian cricket legend Allan Border has defended the controversial Gabba pitch used during the first Test between Australia and South Africa and commented that some of the things being said about the track are over the top.
The first Test between Australia and South Africa came to a close as 34 wickets fell in under two days. ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees member Richie Richardson released his report on the pitch, and deemed it as ‘below average’.
“Some of the stuff that was talked about the pitch was over the top,” Border expressed.
“I mean, it wasn’t dangerous for a start. That is not a dangerous wicket.
“I can’t even remember anyone getting hit other than the normal state of affairs, on the thigh pad or on the gloves.”
“They’re going on about those bouncers that went flying over (from Nortje) — that was just terrible bowling on a fast, bouncy track,” said Border.
Border said that the quality of bowling was good in the match and calling the pitch dangerous isn’t right. The Australia legend admitted that the track was difficult for the batters, but it wasn’t the worst wicked ever produced.
“We’ve all played on pitches like that (at the Gabba). It was just the quality of bowling was there and the batsmen never really held sway,” Border added.
“I’m not trying to justify it, but sometimes the rhetoric got a bit over the top about how bad it was. It was like it was the worst wicket ever produced.”
