Perth pitch lacks its old bite

Justin Langer © Getty Images

Australia and England may need to alter their bowling strategies for the third Ashes Test in December after a sudden change in the pitch at the Western Australia Cricket Ground (WACA) in Perth.

The WACA has long been renowned as one of the most intimidating decks in the world thanks to its menacing bounce and lightning pace, but that reputation is fading fast just two matches into the 2006/07 Pura Cup campaign.

More than 2,000 runs have been plundered and just 26 wickets have fallen in six days of action at the Perth ground this season.

That may lead Australia and England to play two spinners against each other with the Ashes on the line later this year.

Australia opener Justin Langer has been playing at the WACA for Western Australia, and expressed his disappointment at the current state of the pitch.

"You don't like to see any wicket, whether it's at the WACA or anywhere in the world, be biased towards batters or bowlers," Langer said after smashing an unbeaten 83 on day two of the Warriors' clash against Tasmania.

"At the moment it's probably too biased for batsmen so you like to see a balance there.

"I guess in a way it's disappointing to see genuine nicks not carrying to the slips. That's something that's been historically at the WACA - if you nick it you're out. At the moment even genuine nicks aren't carrying to the slips."

Half of the wickets taken so far have been claimed by spinners, with pace attacks struggling to trouble batsmen on an unusually flat and batter-friendly WACA surface.

Last week, Langer agreed two spinners would be the way to go during the Ashes.

"Well you would have to consider it, definitely, and that's unusual for here to even think about it," Langer said.

"Because it's such a flat wicket it doesn't tend to swing all that much. It doesn't swing much and it doesn't seam much."