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  Debasis Sen, Melbourne: A thin layer of sand under the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) might just save Cricket Australia from an embarrassment . The cushion of sand was laid to promote better grass growth in the drop-in wicket. The wicket at the iconic venue was revamped after the dull draw during the Ashes test match last year. The surfaced provided nothing for the bowlers, prompting the ICC match referee Ranjan Madugule to rate the surface as “poor”. If the wicket does behave poorly again the MCG will be stripped of hosting further test matches for a period of next five years. The groundsmen of the MCC have responded by adding a layer of sand on the drop-in’s concrete tray. Cricket Australia adviser and former Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett feels the cushion of sand might just save the Victorian cricket officials from an embarrassment. “It’s a bit like putting a paving brick on a slab of concrete — it rattles,” Burdett said of the former method. “This year they’ve had a different approach to it by putting about 50mm of sand in between. “That’s why the Adelaide one works so well and the Optus Stadium pitch works so well.” Burdett praised the Adelaide and Perth strips for promoting two highly entertaining Tests. It appears MCG curator Matt Page has followed the lead of Damian Hough in Adelaide and Brett Sipthorpe in Perth, who both prepared pace-friendly pitches. Hough did so in the admission that he’d given up trying to get the Adelaide drop-in to break up. Burdett said the MCG’s sand underlay was added to promote deep root growth. “It’s so important to keep the grass alive on a cricket pitch,” he said. “It’s what gives you the bounce and carry and gives you life and gives you a sporting cricket pitch. Under the ICC’s new pitch rating system, introduced after last year’s MCG Test, venues incur a penalty point for a “below average” pitch, three points for a “poor” strip, and five for an “unfit” surface. Venues will be suspended for a year if they receive five points in a five-year period, or for two years if they accrue 10 points.