Australia v South Africa: SCG prepares for unique Shane Warne tribute in third Test

Heavier than average rainfall, courtesy of La Nina, have made things tougher than usual for Lewis in the build-up to what should be the showpiece event on Sydney’s cricket calendar.

It also influenced Lewis, five years into the job, to deviate from standard operating procedure.

The SCG square has nine pitches, each of which has a number. The most central wicket – No.5 – is more often than not used for the annual New Year’s Test.

But factors including the weather and the Sydney Swans’ run to the AFL grand final meant that pitch 5 is not in optimal shape.

From turbulence came opportunity, with Lewis using the situation as an impetus to honour the late Shane Warne. The leg-spinning legend, who died suddenly in March, famously retired from Test cricket at the SCG in the fifth Ashes Test of 2006-07, alongside Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer.

That match happened to be the most recent Test played on the SCG’s pitch No. 3.

“We always go in with plan A and plan B. I like to keep it on 5 if I can,” Lewis says.

“The thing for us this year was with the Swans, it was great them making it all the way to the grand final but that sort of reduced my renovation period.

“So because of that, we had a plan B up our sleeve and we were doing a little bit of investigation and we realise that Warney’s last Test was actually on pitch 3. And then the way things have worked out the last few months, I just feel it’s the right place to go. That’s why I’ve decided to go to pitch 3.”

Warne took a modest 2-92 in that match as well as a quick-fire 71. The venue was also the scene of his Test debut against India 15 years earlier.

Lewis adds that he doesn’t expect using a slightly off-centre wicket will dramatically affect the game.

“I don’t think it will change anything. A little bit shorter boundary on the Eastern side but that’s about it.”

There is always pressure on curators in international cricket, but attention is heightened this season for a couple of reasons.

Then there is the fact that Melbourne Renegades captain Nic Maddinson labelled the SCG pitch used in this week’s Big Bash League match against the Sydney Sixers as “pretty shit”.

And Lewis felt the pain of Gabba curator Dave Sandurski, whose grassy pitch used for the first Test of the South African series was given a “below average” rating by the ICC after the match ended inside two days.

Lewis said it had been a bumpy road, but has flagged a turning deck this week, encouraging Australia to consider playing two spinners.

“This has probably been one of my toughest years, mainly with the weather,” Lewis said.

“We also have a lot of cricket this year, which has been great. To host the T20 World Cup was pretty amazing. Just having cricket that early on in the season, you get a lot of wear and tear on your pitch. We just find it’s a little bit tough coming back with the cooler nights.

“We’ve found definitely with La Nina just with the cooler nights and the cooler days, the grass is just sitting there and taking its time. These warmer nights and warmer days [of late] have helped.”

The curating fraternity is strong, and Lewis reacted viscerally for Sandurski when he came under fire over the Gabba issue.

“I feel gutted because the amount the guys put into their wickets and what it means to them,” Lewis says.

“He did his absolute best. He was just unfortunate the weather didn’t go his way. I feel for them every time something negative does happen.

“I rung him straight away and sent him a message. He got a little bit down but he’ll know what he needs to do for next year to get back there.”

The SCG Test pitch was rated “good” last summer after copping an assessment of “average” the previous season. Both of those matches were drawn, with Australia unable to bowl out England and India respectively on the final day.

“The way our soil is and the way it’ll break up, I daresay it’d be good if they went with a couple of spinners,” Lewis said of this year’s pitch.

“I think it will take turn later on in the game, but thankfully I look after the pitches and not the team selection.”

Daniel ChernyStaff writer

Daniel Cherny is a Melbourne sportswriter, focusing on AFL and cricket. Having started his career at Back Page Lead, Daniel spent eight years at The Age, during which time he covered Australian Test cricket tours of Bangladesh and the UAE, as well as the 2016 Rio Olympics. He has been recognised for both his AFL and cricket writing, including winning the Clinton Grybas Rising Star Award at the 2019 Australian Football Media Association Awards. He is also a compulsive Simpsons quoter.