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Healy: Perth curator's job is firmly on the line after pitch quotes
Ian Healy • November 11th, 2025 4:09 pm
The curator of Optus Stadium, Isaac McDonald, has put his job firmly on the line with quotes attributed to him ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth.
Speaking to Code Sports, the head WA curator said he most wants to replicate last year's pitch between Australia and India more than any other.
In that game, 17 wickets fell on Day 1, then soon on Day 2 the other three were taken to make it 20 in quick time.
Early on Day 2, the world's two best batting orders were out for 150 and 104 respectively.
That surely can't be the best surface his team can prepare. If it happens again, Cricket Australia won't be happy.
When Josh Hazlewood got injured during the next dig, India amassed 487 in their second innings, for Australia to lose by 295 on Day 4.
Surely, Cricket Australia and Western Australian cricket want better than that type of finish.
There's no pressure, he says, 'To prepare a pitch for 4 or 5 days for a Test match. Just execute our plans, it's the best pitch we can produce at the time'.
Jasprit Bumrah took 8 wickets. Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal made hundreds. That's a balance between bat and ball, according to McDonald.
But this needs to be a balance over a much longer period, don't have 50 per cent of the wickets taken falling in one day.
Cricketers find it annoying when curators predict how their wicket will play, so at least he hasn't got into those predictions.
He should continue to strive for the best surface possible for a 5-day blockbuster.
For mine, if 17 wickets again fall on Day 1, the roller that he uses on the pitch will be a lot heavier because he'll have not only himself, but his bosses on his back on that roller with him.
