DARWIN (Australia), June 16: The drop-in pitches for the Test match and one-day games here next month against Bangladesh will be lowered in place later this week, the Australian Cricket Board said on Monday.

Melbourne Cricket Ground head groundsman Tony Ware is here supervising work on the Marrara Oval ground, which will stage the first-ever July 18-22 Test match against the Bangladeshis.

Ware, who is the leading turf and drop-in wicket expert in Australia, began the first major works on the playing surface on Monday with the removal of top soil to accommodate the Test match and One-day International wicket.

An additional area adjacent to the international strip will also be removed for the installation of the tour wicket to be used during the Bangladesh-Chief Minister’s XI match from July 10-13.—AFP