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[PICTURES/VIDEO] Tony Hemming resigns as chief curator for the Pakistan Cricket Board [Update@post#56]

MenInG

MenInG

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ICC Academy's Head Curator, Toby Lumsden's experience will be used for the pitch upgrade plan in Pakistan.

He is also reviewing the pitch being prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and finalizing pitch work with local ground staff.

He is also inspecting the squares and practice pitches at GSL and is giving tip to the local ground staff regarding the preparation of various pitches.

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With ICC head curator in the house, would be interesting to see when the test at Lahore starts that if it was our curators that were struggling or inherent nature of the wickets and possibly seasonal impacts.
 
Would be good to hear what recommendations he has made for GSL. Basically if he doesn't say anything and the pitch is a road then ICC will be in no position to say its bad!
 
Hope this doesnt back fire and we end up losing home advantage in the 3rd test.
 
Pathetic decision any fool in home series would acquire a foreign curator last game was drawn because Aus dropped catches
 
Titan24 said:
With ICC head curator in the house, would be interesting to see when the test at Lahore starts that if it was our curators that were struggling or inherent nature of the wickets and possibly seasonal impacts.
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Not much he can do at all in 4-5 days. Also there's a heatwave going so that'll effect things.

Pakistan's pitches have a bit more pace and bounce than what we have seen especially the Rawalpindi pitch which is one of the more livelier pitches and the weather was cooler as well. They definitely tampered with the pitch to make it this slow.
 
What a dumb decision!!! The pitch probably same like any traditional Australian pitch. Australia will score 400+ in first innings and bowl us out twice under 150 meaning we will by innings and 100 runs.
 
This is a dumb decision. All of a sudden we dont have curators but we have pitches? Waste of money.

Where is the curator that made the pitches for sa series?
Whats funny is that even thr local curator makes the practise pitches green, but the main square becomes flat....
 
Fahdi said:
Not much he can do at all in 4-5 days. Also there's a heatwave going so that'll effect things.

Pakistan's pitches have a bit more pace and bounce than what we have seen especially the Rawalpindi pitch which is one of the more livelier pitches and the weather was cooler as well. They definitely tampered with the pitch to make it this slow.
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He came in for 10 days.
 
Very good decision to hire the services of ICC academy head curator.

Pitches in Pakistan are not used for international matches for a longer period of time. Curator in Pakistan are not challenged with prepping sporting pitches for international matches.

This shows Pakistan is serious about bringing cricket back , not only that better pitches will give better players. So that Lagan walae techniques would find hard to exist.

Saud Shakeel was highly rated in Pp here, but from his inns in England ODI shows he is another product from the slow low pitches.
 
Kianig89 said:
Pathetic decision any fool in home series would acquire a foreign curator last game was drawn because Aus dropped catches
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It could be argued last match Australia got into commanding position because Pakistan dropped catches, not to mention free wickets with run outs etc. Match was drawn due to gritty batting, dropped catches are part and parcel of the game as are umpires call that favour one team then the other.
 
Pakistan's former Test pacer and acclaimed coach Aaqib Javed wants PCB to pick brains of Indian curators, who have been regularly preparing "turners" in their own backyard. Javed's comments came after Pakistan managed to pull off a thrilling draw in the second Test in Karachi against Australia by batting 171.4 overs in the fourth innings. The pitches in Rawalpindi and Karachi have come under heavy criticism for producing lifeless tracks. The pitch for the first Test was rated as "below average" by ICC.

"Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners,” Aaqib said on a YouTube channel.

He insisted that Pakistan could only beat Australia through spin as the Pakistani pace bowlers were not as experienced as the visiting quickies.

Meanwhile, facing scathing and continuous criticism over the pitches prepared for the first two Tests against Australia at home, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) summoned former ICC Academy head curator Toby Lumsden to oversee the preparations for the final game at Gaddafi Stadium starting Monday.

In the two Tests so far, eight centuries have been scored -- six by Pakistani batters and two by Australia in Karachi. Both games have produced over 2300 runs with 14 wickets falling in Pindi and 28 in Karachi.

Lumsden, who has also been curator at the MCG, is presently supervising all the preparation work in Lahore where the pitch is expected to produce a result after the first two tests have been drawn.

Lumsden is not the first foreign curator to be hired by the PCB which has in the past also brought in other foreign curators during home series to help in preparing pitches.

A reliable source in the board said that PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja has been focusing a lot on improvement of pitches in Pakistan.

"He wants to also change and improve the process of preparing pitches and Lumsden might also be given a longer assignment to help train the local curators," he said.

Ndtv
 
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I think would have been a good decision if it was done before the start of the series.

But now this gives the perception of damage control more than anything.
 
By Rameez's own admission it takes 5-6 months to make a pitch so unsure what miracles this guy can work in 5 days.

Still hopefully he'll help produce a result pitch in Lahore but history shows that pitch is as dead as the dodo.
 
MenInG said:
Pakistan's former Test pacer and acclaimed coach Aaqib Javed wants PCB to pick brains of Indian curators, who have been regularly preparing "turners" in their own backyard. Javed's comments came after Pakistan managed to pull off a thrilling draw in the second Test in Karachi against Australia by batting 171.4 overs in the fourth innings. The pitches in Rawalpindi and Karachi have come under heavy criticism for producing lifeless tracks. The pitch for the first Test was rated as "below average" by ICC.

"Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners,” Aaqib said on a YouTube channel.

He insisted that Pakistan could only beat Australia through spin as the Pakistani pace bowlers were not as experienced as the visiting quickies.

Meanwhile, facing scathing and continuous criticism over the pitches prepared for the first two Tests against Australia at home, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) summoned former ICC Academy head curator Toby Lumsden to oversee the preparations for the final game at Gaddafi Stadium starting Monday.

In the two Tests so far, eight centuries have been scored -- six by Pakistani batters and two by Australia in Karachi. Both games have produced over 2300 runs with 14 wickets falling in Pindi and 28 in Karachi.

Lumsden, who has also been curator at the MCG, is presently supervising all the preparation work in Lahore where the pitch is expected to produce a result after the first two tests have been drawn.

Lumsden is not the first foreign curator to be hired by the PCB which has in the past also brought in other foreign curators during home series to help in preparing pitches.

A reliable source in the board said that PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja has been focusing a lot on improvement of pitches in Pakistan.

"He wants to also change and improve the process of preparing pitches and Lumsden might also be given a longer assignment to help train the local curators," he said.

Ndtv
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I am sick and tired of hearing "prepare turners". We are best known for pace bowling. Yes we play spin well too. Why not produce a sporting pitch which helps both pacers and spinners? On UAE pitches, both spinners and pacers had a role.
 
iRfaN_LA said:
I am sick and tired of hearing "prepare turners". We are best known for pace bowling. Yes we play spin well too. Why not produce a sporting pitch which helps both pacers and spinners? On UAE pitches, both spinners and pacers had a role.
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Have you got any stats to state paces had a role ?
 
iRfaN_LA said:
I am sick and tired of hearing "prepare turners". We are best known for pace bowling. Yes we play spin well too. Why not produce a sporting pitch which helps both pacers and spinners? On UAE pitches, both spinners and pacers had a role.
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The 90's was a long time ago my friend. Our pace has been some of the worst in the world over the past decade. Get with the times.
 
By the looks of it he’s ensuring the heavy roller is moving in a straight line.
 
MenInG said:
ICC Academy's Head Curator, Toby Lumsden's experience will be used for the pitch upgrade plan in Pakistan.

He is also reviewing the pitch being prepared for the Pakistan-Australia Test match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and finalizing pitch work with local ground staff.

He is also inspecting the squares and practice pitches at GSL and is giving tip to the local ground staff regarding the preparation of various pitches.

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View attachment 115301View attachment 115302View attachment 115303
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All that grass will be shaved off come day 1 of the test :facepalm:
 
where are the curators from SA series?

This is awful, Ramiz Raja is simply undoing his own mistake, now he sends an Australian to solve his own mistake because guess what, he is in love with everything Aussie.
 
MenInG said:
Pakistan's former Test pacer and acclaimed coach Aaqib Javed wants PCB to pick brains of Indian curators, who have been regularly preparing "turners" in their own backyard. Javed's comments came after Pakistan managed to pull off a thrilling draw in the second Test in Karachi against Australia by batting 171.4 overs in the fourth innings. The pitches in Rawalpindi and Karachi have come under heavy criticism for producing lifeless tracks. The pitch for the first Test was rated as "below average" by ICC.

"Why go anywhere else? I would say find out from the curators in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai etc how they prepare the turners on which Indian spinners dominate. I am surprised until now Pakistan has not been able to produce pure turning tracks, which will help our spinners,” Aaqib said on a YouTube channel.

He insisted that Pakistan could only beat Australia through spin as the Pakistani pace bowlers were not as experienced as the visiting quickies.

Meanwhile, facing scathing and continuous criticism over the pitches prepared for the first two Tests against Australia at home, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) summoned former ICC Academy head curator Toby Lumsden to oversee the preparations for the final game at Gaddafi Stadium starting Monday.

In the two Tests so far, eight centuries have been scored -- six by Pakistani batters and two by Australia in Karachi. Both games have produced over 2300 runs with 14 wickets falling in Pindi and 28 in Karachi.

Lumsden, who has also been curator at the MCG, is presently supervising all the preparation work in Lahore where the pitch is expected to produce a result after the first two tests have been drawn.

Lumsden is not the first foreign curator to be hired by the PCB which has in the past also brought in other foreign curators during home series to help in preparing pitches.

A reliable source in the board said that PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja has been focusing a lot on improvement of pitches in Pakistan.

"He wants to also change and improve the process of preparing pitches and Lumsden might also be given a longer assignment to help train the local curators," he said.

Ndtv
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No thank you. Dont want disgusting wickets where games are finishing in 2.5 days.
 
Good move.

People are getting their nickers in a twist because he is an Aussie - he is not from Cricket Australia, he is the Head Curator of the ICC Academy. He is not here to decide the pitch for the 3rd Test, he is here to look at how our curators prepare the pitch.

He is here as a consultant basically. And his role will not end after the 3rd Test but he is part of the wider pitch improvement plan. Excellent decision to bring him in.
 
The grass will be shaved off tomorrow probably. Expect the pitch to turn
 
MenInG said:
Would be good to hear what recommendations he has made for GSL. Basically if he doesn't say anything and the pitch is a road then ICC will be in no position to say its bad!
Click to expand...

Not sure what work was done on the pitch under his supervision?
 
As per media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to appoint a foreign curator. After hiring foreign coaches, the PCB plans to bring in a foreign pitch expert as well. The decision to hire a foreign expert aims to improve the quality of pitches and grounds. The PCB had advertised for the position of chief curator. PCB will soon finalize an agreement with an international pitch expert. The responsibility of the international curator will also include training local curators.
 
FearlessRoar said:
As per media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to appoint a foreign curator. After hiring foreign coaches, the PCB plans to bring in a foreign pitch expert as well. The decision to hire a foreign expert aims to improve the quality of pitches and grounds. The PCB had advertised for the position of chief curator. PCB will soon finalize an agreement with an international pitch expert. The responsibility of the international curator will also include training local curators.
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Good news. I hope the PCB will not make the mistake when Ramiz Raja allowed Babar to produce batting paradises for his milestone aspirations.
 
As per reports:

Tony Hemming, an experienced Australian pitch curator, is likely to be appointed as the new Chief Curator by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Currently working with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Hemming has applied for the PCB position and is reportedly ready to transition.

His rich career includes roles as an International Cricket Soil Advisor for the Western Australia Cricket Association, Head Curator at the ICC Cricket Academy and the Dubai International Stadium, and an ICC Pitch Consultant for the Oman Cricket Academy. He’s also managed the Optus Stadium in Perth and the King Fahad International Football Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 
Nothing comes of these. Every few years they say this but the underlying problem of slow wickets remains in the domestic and international games. This produces cricketing eunuchs and is one of the reason why we are so average
FearlessRoar said:
As per media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to appoint a foreign curator. After hiring foreign coaches, the PCB plans to bring in a foreign pitch expert as well. The decision to hire a foreign expert aims to improve the quality of pitches and grounds. The PCB had advertised for the position of chief curator. PCB will soon finalize an agreement with an international pitch expert. The responsibility of the international curator will also include training local curators.
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The pitch maker, Tony Hemming is in the house. The guy might be thinking why I am here?

3NZcT4L.jpeg
 
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Tony made another batter's heaven.

happy with the pitch so far in Multan???
 
Hellion said:
Hired an Australian curator to produce a wicket that has seen 1214 runs for 13 wickets.

Aussie curator also produced NY pitch for World T20.

Overrated trash Aussie curators.
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Not sure if PCB told him to make such a pathetic pitch or he did that on purpose.
 
BouncerGuy said:
Not sure if PCB told him to make such a pathetic pitch or he did that on purpose.
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I think PCB and the team definitely had an input. After Bangladesh lose they probably wanted a less seam friendly wicket. But I'm not sure if team really wanted it. Because the last pitch you can give to England, is a flat pitch.
 
Hellion said:
Hired an Australian curator to produce a wicket that has seen 1214 runs for 13 wickets.

Aussie curator also produced NY pitch for World T20.

Overrated trash Aussie curators.
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Well their making the pitch for BGT. Hopefully they don't botch it.
 
Hellion said:
That's at home. That'll be fine
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Aussie curators should no longer be hired for curation if such pitches are going to be produced.

Very very shocking to see my favourite team produce such curators.
 
I don't think this is on the curator.

I am almost certain this is a directive from the top after they got embarrassed.
 
I think even if he wanted to produce spinning pitches it proberly won't be possible.
 
It doesn't matter what sort of surface Pakistan is playing on, they are terrible and simply not good enough.

These are dark days in Pakistan cricket.
 
Saj said:
It doesn't matter what sort of surface Pakistan is playing on, they are terrible and simply not good enough.

These are dark days in Pakistan cricket.
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This and nothing else needs to be said.

I don't know Saj but I can feel his pain when he wrote this.
 
I get what they were trying to do, make sure the pitch is flat enough for the Pakistani batters to fire and increase chances of a draw or a lucky win.

But I think they still overestimate their bowlers and this defeat will really shake the core of the PCB think tank.

They should make a 250 run pitch as standard and it's up to the players to rise to it when they finally get sick of losing.
 
Hellion said:
Hired an Australian curator to produce a wicket that has seen 1214 runs for 13 wickets.

Aussie curator also produced NY pitch for World T20.

Overrated trash Aussie curators.
Click to expand...
He brought with him a drop in pitch- clearly crossed wires somewhere.

Could have hired an Indian curator via Dubai and he would have made sure Pakistan win.
 
Tony Hemming resigns as chief curator

Lahore, 9 August 2025: Tony Hemming has resigned from his position as chief curator, Pakistan Cricket Board.
 
I am hearing he will be new pitch curator for Bangladesh. Hopefully, he can change the Mirpur wicket into higher scoring ground.
 
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