West Indies: Pitch like those of 60s

It resembles a Kensington Oval pitch of 1960s vintage 'flat and grassless 'and there is a reason for it.

'Because of the positioning of the television cameras, we've had to prepare the same pitch we used for the One-Day International,' curator Richard 'Prof' Edwards explained yesterday.

'That was just under a month ago and it hasn't been enough time for the grass to fully come through again so it's quite bare.'

Television coverage requires a line of camera sight directly in line with the middle stump at both ends.

Since the Test has come before the One-Day internationals in the past, it has not been a factor in pitch preparation.

'Yes, it looks like what we used to get in the 1960s and 1970s and I expect it will play much the same,' Edwards, whose career as Barbados and West Indies fast bowler corresponded with that period, said.

'It should have a little something in it early on, be generally good for batting and perhaps begin to keep a little low on the last day.'

Head groundsman Hendy Davis and his team soaked the pitch on Tuesday and sprinkled it again yesterday morning before extensive use of the motorised heavy roller.

'They've also put a lot of water into either side of the square so that there should be some moisture under the surface,' Edwards said.

Tests of the 1960s and 1970s generally produced run-dominated draws.

Of the 11 Tests in the two decades, eight were drawn and the West Indies won the other three. The average total in the four in the 1960s was 481, in the 1970s it was 390.

Since more live grass has been left in the pitches, there has been only one draw (to 14 West Indies victories and two losses) in the 17 Tests in the 1980s and 1990s and the average total has declined to the low 300s.

The last Test pitch at Kensington, against Australia last season, produced one of the greatest Tests ever played.

There were 1 476 runs, 19 wickets, 199 by Australian captain Steve Waugh and West Indies captain Brian Lara's astonishing, match-winning, unbeaten 153 on the final day.

A repeat would be too much to ask for and, with two teams short of batting experience and class, unlikely.