MCG turf to be relaid ahead of the Cricket World Cup

Sydney, Aug 21 (IANS) The turf at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will be completely dug up and relaid ahead of hosting the 2015 Cricket World Cup final.

After the grand final of the Australian Football League (AFL) slated for Sep 27, the MCG will use its month-long break to undertake its biggest turf overhaul in a decade, reports Sydney Morning Herald.

The program has been budgeted at $1.7 million and is the most extensive undertaken by the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC).

The last time such an extensive overhaul was undertaken was in 2004, in preparation for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The daily reported that the entire surface, almost 20,000 square metres, will be completely dug up within two days after the AFL final.

Cricket Australia (CA) has also decided not to host any domestic or international matches at the venue until Oct 31. The season-starting Matador BBQs One-Day Cup has been shifted to Queensland and New South Wales and it given the MCG and a window for the turf overhaul.

"The removal of the turf is expected to take six days. Twelve days have been allotted for the installation of the new turf, with the expectation there will be a fortnight between the completion of the installation and the first match to be played on it," the daily said.

As a part of the preparations, 10 drop-in pitches will also be laid, of which the centrepiece will be hosting the World Cup final March 29.

The relaid MCC turf will host the first domestic match Oct 31, a Sheffield Shield encounter between Victoria and New South Wales.

The first international match will be played Nov 7, a Twenty20 encounter between Australia and South Africa.