Johannesburg: In what should please the Indians, South African fast bowlers will be denied a green top in the first Test at Centurion as the curator fears that he could be in the line of fire if the visiting bowlers get to exploit it first.
"Look, everybody wants the ball to fly past the Indian batsman's ears because they are apparently vulnerable against short deliveries. If we win the toss on that pitch and bowl them out cheaply, then I'm the hero, but think what could happen if the roles are reversed and they bowl us out cheaply.
Then they demand your head and everyone wants to know what went wrong," said Super Sport Park groundsman Hilbert Smith.
"To make this happen, you need a lot of grass on the pitch.