Surface tension despite the placid pitch

Good pitches produce good Test cricket and this has been a wonderful contest. And so Jason Gillespie who did nothing stupid with the bat, disguised his fast bowling roots remarkably well, was able to hang on because he presented the straightest of bats. In times gone by it was an expression that signified an honest, straightforward way of living and that is precisely what Gillespie did. He irritated the bowlers, showed up the inherent placidity of the wicket and allowed Damien Martyn to play the innings that Australia needed. Martyn has been the nearly man of Australian cricket.

There are few more elegant players than him in world cricket, few who caress the ball quite as well, few who make batting look easier. And yet he hasn’t quite taken Mark Waugh’s place. Like Gillespie, he played largely straight and unlike his earlier efforts in this series, where he went down the wicket and nicked to short leg, this time he played late and off the back foot. It showed that Australia and Martyn had learnt from the passage of play so far in the series. It meant that Martyn could play to his strength. He is never going to be as nimble and exciting as Michael Clarke, brought up as he has been on hard bouncy tracks at Perth. He gave Australia’s innings the substance today and Clarke, assured and confident against the spinners, made the difference between a lead of 175 and 228. He will do more in this series.

The skills that brought Martyn his reward were also the skills that have been Kumble’s motif over the years. Rarely has a bowler been as persevering, as relentless on pitches like these.

Kumble did very little that was fanciful but then this isn’t the track for the fanciful. It has rewarded the faithful, those that put the deed above the fruit. The side that does that better on the last day will win the Test. This is not yet a surface on which bowlers, or indeed batsmen, can make things happen. Patience is the name of the game, he that waits better will win.