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Tinge of green forecast for Hobart Test

3 minute read

Australia and England can expect a typical Sheffield Shield green-tinged wicket at Hobart's Blundstone Arena for the fifth Ashes Test.

Australia and England batters won't be granted any favours by Blundstone Arena's head curator, who has pledged a Sheffield Shield-style green-tinged pitch for the fifth Ashes Test.

Hobart will on Friday host its first Test since the 2016 calamity in which Australia was thumped by South Africa by an innings and 80 runs.

The hosts were rolled for 85 in the first innings and 161 in their second, lasting a combined 93 overs.

Adam Voges, Callum Ferguson and Peter Nevill never played another Test, with only David Warner, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja remaining in Australia's current top seven.

The venue has remained a haven for seam bowlers in the past five Sheffield Shield seasons, with batsmen averaging 27.82 compared to the competition average of 31.32.

The day-night pink-ball scheduling also bodes well for the quicks.

"It'll have a tinge of green on it, for sure. The lead-up hasn't been the greatest but we've always had a tinge of green on the wickets down here," Blundstone Arena head curator Marcus Pamplin said on Tuesday.

"There'll probably be one or two (millimetres of grass) left on it, just to keep the shine on the ball so they can get that swing.

"It'll be pretty much similar to our Sheffield Shield tracks."

The field was virtually underwater due to recent heavy rain but Pamplin said preparations hadn't been affected.

Showers are forecast on day one but are expected to lessen as the match progresses.

Despite the ground proving tougher for batters, Western Australia posted 9-405(dec) batting first in the most recent Shield fixture with Tasmania chasing down 315 to win on the final day.

"I expect it to be a good contest. Especially, first day, there'll be a bit in it," Pamplin said.

"At some period in the game it'll flatten out to a good batting pitch. It should go up and down, day three to four."

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