This video present a classic day, when Tony Greig's 2nd Day Pitch Report vs Australia's 3rd Test, Melbourne, First Innings December 11 - 15, 1981
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00:00and making it easy for the batsman to play off the back foot.
00:07Of the second day's play of this final test match,
00:10the Benson Hedges test between Australia and Pakistan at the MCG.
00:15Well, the key to yesterday's play lay very much with the pitch.
00:18The Australian fast bowlers were unable to get anything out of it.
00:21Pakistan finished at 3 for 2.45 at the close of play.
00:25Tony Gregg is out in the centre now to report on the pitch on this second day.
00:28A lovely day out here, a nice breeze blowing,
00:31and yesterday, no problems at all for the batsmen,
00:33but heaps for the quickmen, and for me, that makes a pleasant change.
00:36Well, things have changed just a little bit today,
00:38but I don't suspect that there's going to be any dramatic change in this pitch.
00:42After all, it's only going to be the second day.
00:44Before we take a close look at it, let's have a look at what it looked like yesterday.
00:48Of course, yesterday was the first day, and there it is.
00:51Those little cracks appearing, and no real green grass.
00:55Well, today, the cracks have just widened up, and this is exactly the same area.
00:59The cracks have just opened up slightly more,
01:01so the moisture will be beginning to drain away in the surface.
01:04So I suspect the pitch will be just a little bit quicker,
01:07not too much, just a little bit quicker,
01:09and what the batsmen will have to watch out for is the one that keeps low.
01:12Now, that might not happen today.
01:14In fact, this might be the best day on this wicket.
01:16After the second day, I think it might start keeping a little low.
01:19So I suspect it's going to be at its best,
01:21and I think the batsmen will have a pretty flippant time out here.
01:25But it's going to be nice to see how these quick bowlers handle a tough road.
01:29Well, Tony Gregg seems to think that there could be a little bit more pace
01:32and just a fraction more bounce there for the Australian bowlers,
01:35but I suspect that Yardley, again, is likely to be the most successful.
01:39We pick up play now in the second over of the day.
01:41The score's moved along to 3 for 250.
01:44Geoff Thompson is the bowler.
01:45He's coming in from the members.