Woolmer has reservations on glue pitches

Bob Woolmer has called for the ICC to think long and hard about using glue on pitches for both Tests and one-dayers. A glued pitch was used in Sri Lanka's victory against New Zealand on Friday and, although the ICC's pitch expert Andy Atkinson was happy with it, Pakistan's coach Woolmer advises caution.

"The ICC must in my opinion discuss the use of glue for pitch preparation very carefully," he wrote in his blog for Cricinfo. "I have massive reservations about it being used in a Test and, indeed, even the one-day arena [...] Conditions should remain natural for the longer form of the game and pitches should deteriorate normally as they do."

Atkinson suggested that the fact that New Zealand were bowled out for only 165 had less to do with the pitch and more to do with the cricket the two teams played. "Generally the pitch played as expected," he said, but he did agree that glue should only be used as a last resort.

Woolmer said the use of glue has its place. "I think the use of glue could help at school-level tournaments, clubs etc as they do not have the equipment or knowledge, or where water is at a premium. Children thereby would be able to play on better surfaces than some of them do."

But overall he believes that glue should not be used. "I personally am of the opinion that no artificial substances should be used in the final preparations of a pitch in any form of cricket."