Sentence examples for benign pitch from inspiring English sources

But Smith refused to yield until almost tea as Australia extended their plunder on a benign pitch - and then Johnson and Josh Hazlewood took the surface out of the equation by bowling full, fast and moving the ball late.

There were already questions about the usefulness of the preparation on offer in this match, especially for the batsmen, after Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry helped themselves to centuries on the first day against a toothless attack on a benign pitch that might have been designed to have as little as possible in common with the conditions expected in Brisbane.

He may have been helped by a benign pitch, but England must be kissing that same turf in thanks that Lara did not hit form earlier. Lara was saying something about age (at 36 he is at a time when most players are passed their prime), something about the mastery of timing (he equalled the record with a stunning six) and something about cricket itself.

"Dave Nosworthy will take quite a few plusses from the four days on a benign pitch, not least the attitude of his team when they were up against it, both with bat and ball".

"With a flat, benign pitch, many thought the best chance for victory would have been to declare behind and have a bowl under leaden skies towards the end of the day.

BBC Radio Leicester's Richard Rae: "Well though Hampshire's seamers bowled in extracting bounce and movement from a previously benign pitch, there was a feeling of inevitability about the manner in which Leicestershire subsided to another heavy defeat, their eighth in the last 10 championship matches.

But bowling is tough work on benign pitches against batsmen whose technologically advanced tools of trade enable them to hit the ball harder and longer.

Test cricket does not need a stalemate, but an anticipated combination of low crowds, draining heat and benign pitches could have such a tranquillising effect on proceedings that recriminations could feel just too much like hard work – at least until the first cry of "no-ball".

Benign pitches and brilliant batting combined to produce draws in all four Tests.

That England did not beat West Indies was down to their conservative selection policy and, more specifically, failing to field an attack capable of taking 20 wickets on benign pitches.

However they lack all-rounders so the likelihood is that they will end up at Lord's with only four bowlers in their side, which might be a problem given how benign the pitch can be there.