Last summer Ricky Ponting was duped, this year the Australian skipper was left just plain disappointed by yet another lifeless WACA Ground wicket.
After South Africa posted 4-414 in the first Test to record the second highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history, Ponting questioned why WACA curator Cameron Sutherland prepared such lively decks for state games while recent Tests in Perth were left with dull and lifeless wickets.
In the past four years, Australia have posted one win, one draw and two losses in Perth.
Ponting stopped just short of suggesting the WACA was purposely preparing batter-friendly pitches that would increase the chance of the game going all five days — thus maximising TV and gate revenues.
But the captain wanted answers as to why the WACA had lost its pace and bounce — two attributes the ground had built its reputation on.
“I’m disappointed in the result and I’m disappointed because the uniqueness of the WACA that it once had, that we keep hearing about every year, it appears it’s always there for the state games but it’s just not there for Test matches, which I think is disappointing,” Ponting said.
“The beauty with playing cricket in Australia is that you get a vast array of conditions all around Australia and I’ve just got a bit of a feeling at the moment that this place has just lost whatever it had as far as its uniqueness.
“This Test match here has basically been played on a wicket like Adelaide.
“It’s not a WACA wicket whatsoever.
“I don’t know if you guys have ever seen a wicket here on a fifth day that plays as well as that one did or if you guys have ever seen one that’s been that slow and placid right from the start of the game.
“Brisbane and Perth are the places that offer a bit of uniqueness in Australia.
“I think Brisbane still has that and I think the WACA is losing that very quickly.”
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