Pitch and dimensions: Letâs quickly take a look at the dimensions, itâs about 60 meters to my left, slightly bigger to my right at around 61 meters, and 76 meters straight down the ground. Interestingly, the square boundaries are on the shorter side, which could come into play. From up here it looks a bit different, what are you making of the surface? Yeah, it does look very dry. When you get closer, thereâs hardly any grass on it. Itâs a mixed clay surface, so while it appears dry underneath, itâs actually quite hard. I had a chat with the curator, theyâve only just taken the covers off, so I think itâs going to play much better than it looks. The ball should come onto the bat nicely. You might see a bit of turn later, especially with the temperature hovering around 37 degrees, but overall, this looks like a really good batting wicket. There was a thought that cutters and off-pace deliveries might grip, but whatâs your take? At first glance, you might think that, but when you actually feel the surface and from what players are saying, the spikes arenât really going in. That tells you how hard it is. So I donât think itâoutside the leg-stump hold up much. It should be good for stroke play. So there you have it, conditions set for what promises to be another exciting contest. First big game at this venue, and the heat is definitely on - Ian Bishop, Michael Clarke

7