Australia pace legend Dennis Lillee denounced a pitch in Pakistan as a “graveyard for bowlers” in 1980, but more than 40 years later little has changed.

Lillee vented his anger after toiling for 21 wicketless overs in Faisalabad in a turgid draw.

All 11 Australian players, even wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, had a turn bowling in Pakistan’s second innings of 382-2 in reply to Australia’s 617 all out as the game petered out into near farce.

Last week, on a wicket described as “a road” by former captain Michael Vaughan, England rewrote the record books as they piled up 823-7 declared in reply to Pakistan’s 556 in the first Test in Multan.

The total was the fourth-highest single innings in Test history.

Harry Brook plundered 317 at almost a run a ball and Joe Root became England’s highest Test run scorer during his career-best 262.

Their stand of 454 for the fourth wicket was an England record, the fourth-highest in history and the most by any pair playing overseas.

Despite the lifeless pitch, England’s bowlers pulled off an inning and 47-run victory after the home side crumbled to 220 all out in their second innings.

It gave Pakistan an unwanted record — the first team to score 500 or more and lose a Test by an innings.

two years have seen pitches get even more docile. Each Test wicket now costs an average of 42.13 runs, the highest anywhere in the world.

Pitch preparation is a science, with experts saying the ideal soil mix is around 60 per cent clay with less sand, such as that found in Australia.

It produces firm and bouncy tracks which begin to take more spin over five days, providing a balance between ball and bat.

One local groundsman said pitches were a big problem.

“There are multiple factors from weather to interference from the team management who want it to suit them,” said the curator, who did not want to be named.

“That makes the process complex. A good pitch needs sun to bake it but in some weather, we do not get that,” he said.

“A Test pitch needed to be cared for six months or a year but our pitches are over-used so they become flat.”

soporific draw in Rawalpindi.

The then Pakistan cricket chief Ramiz Raja blasted the playing surface: “We live in the dark ages of pitches in Pakistan. This is not a good advert for Test cricket.”

With the second Test starting in Multan on Tuesday and the third in Rawalpindi next week, it seems unlikely the bowlers will get any respite soon.

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