The Wanderes cricket venue in Johannesburg, South Africa, has started working on its drop-in pitch. The pitch will be grown in a stainless steel tray located at the boundary edge of the stadium before being moved to the central square. The Wanderers, SuperSport Park, Kingsmead and Newlands will all use drop-in pitches for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. Because SA won’t host any international matches next season, except for five T20s against West Indies, Cricket South Africa have earmarked next summer as the ideal time to install the surfaces.
Despite initial skepticism following the T20 World Cup in New York, where substandard pitches led to poor batting conditions, the South African surfaces will be given 12 to 18 months to properly settle before use. This time frame is expected to ensure better quality than what was seen in New York, where the pitches had only six months to embed.
Hovercraft over trains
Evan Flint, former head groundsman at both the Wanderers and Newlands in Cape Town, will oversee the project, working alongside Cricket SA’s Grounds Consultant, Hilbert Smith. Flint explained that the process is new for everyone involved. Once the grass and soil are planted in the tray, they will be allowed to settle, and during the off-season, the pitch will be relocated to the center square.
The relocation process itself is groundbreaking. Flint revealed that the tray will be transported using a hovercraft, similar to those used in England, including at Lord’s, to cover the playing field during rain. “It weighs around 32 tons, but because it floats on air, it can be easily moved with minimal effort,” said Flint.
The hovercraft will move the tray to the eastern half of the Wanderers’ square, where it will be left to settle over the winter. The goal is to use the pitch for a friendly match in December of next year, with the potential for a first-class game in April 2026, depending on its development.
Not enough time
The introduction of drop-in pitches addresses concerns about South African pitches, particularly the center strips used for international matches, which had become “old and tired” and not ideal for stroke play. Flint highlighted that there isn’t enough time to relay and grow new pitches due to the packed schedule of international cricket, the SA20, and domestic matches. Drop-in pitches offer a solution to this issue.
While the Australian model of using movable pitches at venues like the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Perth Stadium was considered, it was deemed too expensive. In those cases, a “train” transports pitches from other locations. South Africa’s approach will involve growing the pitch at the venue itself, then moving it into position. The ultimate aim is to have three or four drop-in pitches that can be rotated as needed.
2027 World Cup
Initially, these drop-in pitches will be used for white-ball matches, as the characteristics of such pitches are more standardized worldwide. Test cricket on South African drop-ins is not expected until after the 2027 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
“We can use the drop-in pitches for white-ball cricket because pitches for those formats are generally more uniform globally. Batsmen want pace and consistent bounce, which helps with shot-making,” Flint explained.
The key objective is to maintain the traditional characteristics of each venue, with the Wanderers known for its pace and bounce. The effectiveness of the drop-in pitch will be evaluated in about a year.