New Delhi: Pakistan have appointed Australian pitch curator Tony Hemming as part of their efforts to improving the quality of pitches after receiving heavy criticism in successive Test matches.
Pakistan are due to host the Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9 next year and have undertaken a multi-million dollar upgradation of on pitch and off pitch facilities.
“Hemming has been appointed as the new head curator on a two-year contract to prepare pitches for the upcoming five Tests in the home season,” the PCB said in a statement on Monday.
Hemming will begin his stint before the two Tests against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi from August 21 and in Karachi from August 30 and will oversee preparations for three Tests against England in October.
Hemming was roped in for a two-year period. The Western Australian has 40 years of experience managing pitches and outfield and has earlier worked with the ICC apart from supervising grounds in Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
After high-scoring Tests against Australia in 2022 and England in 2021, the Rawalpindi stadium pitch received below-average ratings.
It prompted Australia captain Pat Cummins to comment that the pitch “did not provide a fair contest” while top batter Steve Smith dubbed it “benign”.
Pakistan had earlier hired Andy Atkinson to help improve the playing surface but it is the first time that a foreign curator has been offered a long-term contract.
Apart from this, the PCB also took a host of decisions including reduction of duration of central contracts that have been handed to players.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi chared ameeting that was attended by new red-ball coach Jason Gillespie, white-ball coach Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Mohammed Yousuf and other top board officials.
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