Smith and Ponting cries foul after WC warm-up games

Whenever Kangaroos, Proteas, Kiwis and English teams tour sub-continent one complaint always they make and that is of turning tracks in sub-continent. Recently in World Cup warm-up game when Australia lost to India at Bengaluru, Aussie captain Ricky Ponting  blamed the pitch for their debacle  instead of accepting the defeat and his team’s inability to play on turning track. Ricky Ponting in his post-match presentation said that pitch was under-prepared and turned too much. South Africa although won their World Cup match against Zimbabwe but captain of South African team Greame Smith also seen complaining about the pitch. 

Now question arise here is that, are these teams come unprepared or unaware about the pitches and conditions of sub-continent. In 1993 when Mohammad Azharuddin led Indian team white-washed English team in 3 match test series in India,  Graham Gooch captain of that English team gave stupid reason of his team’s defeat. He said due to pollution and heat we lost the series. Whenever teams from Australia, South Africa, England or New Zealand comes to sub-continent they always criticise pitches and conditions prevailing in sub-continent but they just forget that whenever teams from sub-continent travels to these countries the same teams give them green tops and fast bouncy pitches and when the teams from sub-continent lose there then these very team just put question-mark on the ability of the players of sub-continent teams and media in sub-continent also criticise their own teams for not doing well outside sub-continent and put question mark on the ability of its own players.  I believe players from Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand are not equipped enough to play on sub-continent pitches and that’s why they cries foul when they don’t do well in sub-continent.

I think these teams  must understand one thing that every country have unique conditions and pitches. English pitches are suitable for seam and swing bowling, Australian and South African pitches supports bounce, Kiwi pitches supports seam and swing, so instead of critising the conditions and pitches  these teams have to prepare hard before coming to sub-continent. As the World Cup progress I believe many of these teams which comes from outside sub-continent will cry foul after poor perfomances and blame the pitches and conditions instead of analysing technical flaws  in their batting which hampers them to play well on turning tracks.

I believe teams from Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand have to accept that they don’t have ability to play against spin and show some sportsmanship rather than blaming pitches and conditions for their defeats.