The day five fiasco at the WACA - an inglorious farewell to a Test ground if there ever was one - got us thinking about other infamous pitch-related cock-ups and controversies. Here's our five favourites:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
WACA (Australia v India, 2012)
What better place to start than the scene of the latest debacle and the notorious "party on the pitch", when the curator and other staff were caught on camera drinking, lying and walking around on the wicket on the night before the match.
This one has a special place in The Tonk's heart. This column recalls stumbling across vision of the revelry, along with the great Robert "Crash" Craddock of News Corp, late on match eve after jumping out of a cab on the way back from a colleague's barbecue.
An Indian television channel, whose cameraman had hung around in the WACA well after the last players had left, captured the shenanigans about 7.30pm and showed it to India's captain MS Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher, who apparently weren't impressed. The cameraman then waited outside the hotel we were staying in later that night to show us the vision.
By lunchtime the next day the video had attracted 680,000 views on YouTube. While it was an embarrassing episode, no damage was done to the pitch.
The Oval (England v Australia, 2013)
Celebrating their retention of the Ashes, England players - including Kevin Pietersen, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson - took turns urinating on the pitch to the great joy of the rest of their teammates, who were gathered in the middle of the south London ground late at night several hours after the fifth Test was called off due to bad light.
On this occasion it was a trio of Australian journos who spotted the distasteful acts taking place from the press box, although not The Tonk who mistakenly believed it was safe to leave the ground at 11pm on the last night of the series!
While the journos were tapping out their copy wrapping up the series, there were also others still in the venue, including cleaners, when the England players relieved themselves.
The incident was splashed all over the Fleet Street papers and England issued a statement the next day stating that at "no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC, the Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love".
Sabina Park (West Indies v England, 1998)
The Jamaican venue made history for the wrong reasons when for the first time in 120 years of the game, a Test was abandoned due to a dangerous pitch.
England's physio had been out to the middle six times in just over an hour to tend to stricken batsmen unable to combat the wildly inconsistent bounce.
Some balls had shot through at ankle height while others off a similar length had batsmen ducking for cover.
England had crumbled to 3-9 in 35 minutes, with the fortunate ones being those who had gotten out. Towards the end, bowlers were inquiring about the welfare of batsmen after every hit.
English batsman Alec Stewart reacts after being hit on the shoulder by a delivery from Curtly Ambrose. Photo: AP
In dramatic scenes, Alec Stewart called captain Michael Atherton onto the ground to confer with umpires during the drinks break. They were led off the field and the match later called off after consultation with the International Cricket Council head office in London.
Headingley (England v Australia, 1975)
Fans were denied what had been shaping as a thrilling finish after vandals dug up the pitch and filled the holes with oil, forcing the abandonment of the match.
Officials considered resuming play on an adjacent pitch but that idea was scrapped due to concerns the conditions, which were the slow, low and offering little turn, could not be replicated.
Leading the four-match series 1-0, Australia had reached 3-220 in pursuit of a record 445 to win the third Test. Ian Chappell's men drew the final Test to retain the urn.
The perpetrators, three men and a woman, were charged with vandalism. One man was jailed for 18 months.
The act was in protest against a 20-year sentence for armed robbery handed to a 34-year-old London minicab driver called George Davis. He was freed in 1976 but two years later was given a 15-year sentence for trying to rob a bank.
Karachi (Pakistan v Australia, 1988)
Allegations of pitch doctoring was one of several issues that plagued Australia's unhappy tour, which started with an innings and 188-run defeat.
The Australians were upset with umpire Mahboob Shah over what they perceived to be favourable treatment to star batsman Javed Miandad, who made 211.
"Miandad played very well in between six or seven opportunities to get him out," captain Allan Border said.
Australia were not helped by their poor fielding, dropping 13 chances in the first two Tests, but raged instead against what they could not control.
"No matter what is said, people will say it's sour grapes. But ultimately, someone has to take a stand [over Pakistan] cricket because it has been going on for too long. If we are the ones to cop it then so be it," Border said.
"The [Karachi] wicket was ridiculous and the decisions given against us were atrocious. We were never in with a chance. There is a conspiracy and we will not be able to win."
