Queensland opener Joe Burns vents frustration with ‘crap wickets’

After the Covid-19 pandemic forced several last-minute fixture changes, the opening two games of the 2021/22 Sheffield Shield competition took place at Adelaide’s Karen Rolton Oval.

Both matches were utterly dominated by the batters, with nine centuries scored in eight days of cricket.

Only once did the bowling side manage to take all 10 wickets in an innings during those two first-class games, which both ended as anticlimactic draws.

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But in a refreshing change for Australian cricket fans, the opening day of this week’s Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval saw the bowlers take charge of proceedings.

There was plenty of movement available for seamers through the air and off the deck, as the South Australians rolled Queensland for 152 on Friday.

Veteran paceman Daniel Worrall rattled the opposition’s middle order, claiming four wickets in a classy 17-over spell.

Burns top-scored for the Bulls with 48 before former teammate Brendan Doggett removed the opening batter with a length delivery that found the inside edge, caught behind by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Speaking to reporters at stumps, Burns vented his frustration with the batting-friendly conditions witnessed at Karen Rolton Oval earlier this summer.

“It’s great to be at Test venues. It’s proper cricket, feels like a proper contests,” he said.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say I’m sick and tired of playing at these out grounds that are just crap wickets. It’s nice to come here and have a good contest between bat and ball.

“It’s a great wicket, it’s a great place to play cricket, and it’s nice to actually see the bowlers get the rewards when they bowl well … it’s proper first-class cricket.

“Hopefully we can play a few more games at Test venues.”

Since he was axed from the Australian Test side last summer, Burns has only passed fifty once in first-class cricket – a masterful 171 against Tasmania.

But since that marathon knock in February, the 32-year-old has registered scores of 20, 34, 15, 20, 26 and 48.

“Last year was very frustrating,” Burns confessed.

“I made 170 in the first Shield game back after the Test series, then I think we had two washouts without batting and you end up having nine innings for the season and you know you‘re batting well, you just want some opportunities to show it.

“And then you get a chance like today after lunch and an opportunity to go on and get a big score, it‘s incredibly frustrating because I feel like I am batting well.

“I just need some more innings.”

Burns has represented Australia in 23 Test matches since making his international debut in 2014, scoring 1442 runs at 36.97.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Victorian young gun Will Pucovski had suffered what is believed to be his 10th concussion after copping a head knock during a training session.

Pucovski missed the first two Test matches against India last summer due to concussion symptoms after he suffered a blow to the head during a warm-up match in Sydney.

Although Cricket Victoria was adamant the 23-year-old would return to training “as soon as he is able to do so”, the frustrating injury cast some doubt over his place in the Australia side for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.

Regardless, Burns claimed that Pucovski’s injury woes did not alter his thinking on a potential Test return.

“This time of year there is always a lot of talk around different selections and whatnot, but I have always said, we play so much cricket as domestic players that you don‘t have time to think or to look too far ahead,” he said.

“We‘re always training, we’re always playing, and the game is very hard as it without making it harder for yourself.”

South Australia was 89/2 at stumps on day one at Adelaide Oval, still trailing Queensland by 63 runs.