PAK vs AUS: Perth Pitch set to test Shan Masood's Pakistan in series-opener, Steve Smith issues warning

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PAK vs AUS: The first few pictures of the Perth pitch released by Australian media have left the Austrian team and their bowlers licking their fingers. The grass cover is comparatively less when compared to the previous years but the pitch curator has guaranteed the traditional pace and bounce.

Talking about the Perth pitch, curator Isaac McDonald talked about taking off a little bit more grass on the top. Speaking to CODE Sports, McDonald said he was expecting pace and bounce from the Optus Stadium pitch for a cracking start to the Pakistan vs Australia Test series which starts from December 14 at the venue.

Picture Credit: Fox Sports

“My theory is to have it a little bit harder on top and a little bit less grass and see what impact that has on the game,” McDonald told CODE Sports.

“Grass is pace and bounce. That’s what people are looking for and that’s essentially what I’m looking for in a really good long-format wicket," he added.

PAK vs AUS: Perth Pitch Report

Australian head coach Andrew McDonald is also about the Perth pitch and believes that the team's bowling attack would challenge and expose the Pakistan team.

“You talk to the fast bowlers and batters and it’s a good even contest between bat and ball, anytime there is bounce and pace in the surface,” McDonald said.

“If you get in, there are runs a plenty and if you find the right line and length, there’s reward for you as well. It always creates a fair and even contest. I think the bounce. As you said, the Gabba presents bounce.

"Perth presents bounce as well. So I think anytime a team, in particular, coming from the subcontinent, is challenged with that first up, it makes hopefully for a slow start for them. Hopefully we can expose them on a bouncy surface. So that is an advantage.”

Further, Steve Smith is also hoping for pace and bounce from Perth pitch. Like McDonald, Smith also reckoned that Pakistan will have a tough time facing the Australian quicks in Perth.

“I assume it’ll have some decent pace and bounce, which it normally does here. I think there’s a little bit of grass on it … so there may be a bit of seam movement early on and it will probably get a bit flatter as the game goes on. (There) may be some cracks if the heat stays. We will wait and see and play it by ear each day.

“It’s something we will try and exploit, I suppose. We look at the wickets we played on in Pakistan and the wickets there didn’t have much pace and bounce, they were very slow, and coming to somewhere where potentially sub-continent players don’t receive as much … bounce, (so) that is something we try to exploit and get those wickets behind the wicket with catches. That usually comes into play quite a bit, so hopefully the boys can get that this week," Smith stated as quoted by Fox Sports.