Australian soil gets clearance, to be seeded at National Bank Cricket Arena

KARACHI: The imported Australian soil on Monday, has finally got custom clearance after 10 months as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly aims to continue striving to improve the quality of the pitches.

The imported soil faced a 10-month-long delay in customs clearance after it reached here at Jinnah International Airport in July 2022.

Following the arrival of Australian soil,  the removal of the old soil from the pitches of the National Bank Cricket Arena here is now underway.

Initially, Australian soil will be seeded in two pitches of the National Bank Cricket Arena here.

Notably, the former PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja during his tenure, emphasized the need of producing lively pitches for quality cricket before he was ousted in December 2022.

In this regard, the PCB acquired the services of Damien Hough, the head curator of Adelaide Oval for inspection of local pitches and outfields besides giving consultancy to local curators on pitch-making techniques.

Australian expert thus carried out the inspection of outfields and pitches squares as well during his visit to local stadiums including Gaddafi Stadium, National Bank Cricket Arena, Pindi Cricket Stadium and Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium here.

Hough delivered lectures on pitch preparations and the basic methodology of pitch-making for all three formats of the game to local curators, coaches, and city cricket associations, before his departure on July 28.

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