Adam Lewis stands in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground, eyes fixed on a strip that has looked decidedly emerald all week. After Melbourne’s two-day collapse, the fifth Ashes Test has become as much about what lies underfoot as who lines up on either side.
In truth, Lewis is sanguine. “You want to see green tinge three days out,” he says, running a hand across the surface. “If you’re not seeing any live grass three days out, then that’s when [it’s a worry] … I’m really comfortable with where we’re sitting.”
The curator expects the sunshine forecast for the eve of the match to bleach out most of the colour. “We had a little bit of sun this morning. They’re saying a bit more sun tomorrow. That will take the greenness out of the pitch. We’re really happy with the pitches at the moment. We’re looking good.”
Cricket Australia is certainly hoping so. Two Tests finishing inside 120 overs have reportedly wiped around AUD15 million from the ledger, prompting even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to quip at Thursday night’s reception that the players must at least reach day three for the McGrath Foundation pink-day fundraiser.
No one at CA is downplaying the issue, but Lewis insists outside pressure has not altered his preparation. “We just thought … we could thin our density out a little bit,” he explains. “That’s what we’ve done this year. We’ve practised that in the Shield matches and we’ve received very good marks.”
Six millimetres of grass — one fewer than last summer — should, in theory, offer enough early seam to interest the quicks before flattening into something more traditional and eventually bringing the spinners into play. That last point could be decisive for Todd Murphy, who appears next in line should Australia revert to a balanced attack after using four seamers in Melbourne.
The off-spinner spent Friday’s session bowling to the top order while Alex Carey kept wicket for an extended spell, a sign the coaches are leaning his way. Seven Tests abroad have shown Murphy can hold his own, yet this would be his first in Australia. England have already pledged to be proactive. As one member of their camp noted, “Whoever plays, I think that’s the mantra of our team, is to try and put pressure on peop”.
Selectors are weighing Murphy against Jhye Richardson, whose pace offers variety but whose workload was limited at the MCG. Conditions may decide it. If the grass remains lush on the morning of the match, four seamers will tempt; if it has browned off, a spinner looks sensible.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg, meanwhile, has become something of a grass-length expert. “I’ve had more phone calls and conversations about wickets and millimetres of grass than I thought I’d ever have,” he admits. “But I’m hopeful and confident we will have a long and productive Test match here.”
Recent history at the SCG provides mixed clues. From 2014 to 2023 it sat among the world’s more placid decks, yet last January’s match ended in less than three days as cracks opened and spin ruled. Players on both sides still speak of the inconsistencies that surfaced. Lewis believes the minor tweaks to grass height and density will prevent a repeat, though he cannot legislate for Sydney’s unpredictable weather.
Rain is forecast across the week, a factor that could both freshen the surface and carve time from the game. Captains Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes will have to balance those possibilities at the toss.
Off the field, officials are quietly praying for the Test to stretch. Gate takings, television slots and, not least, the McGrath Foundation’s annual appeal all benefit from a fifth-day finish. For the players, the equation remains simpler: win the battle, claim the Ashes outright.
Standing beside the roller, Lewis smiles when asked if he feels the weight of a nation’s expectations. “I’ve had curators from everywhere sending messages after Melbourne,” he says. “I feel for Matty Page, but you can only prepare the best pitch you can. After that it’s up to the cricketers.”
Come the first ball, attention should shift from blade of grass to bat and ball. Lewis, for one, would welcome that.
