Kiwi Mills calls for less flatter ground

Napier: New Zealand cricketer Kyle Mills has said that as a bowler, he would prefer to have less flat wickets and longer boundaries.

He said that in New Zealand, the boundaries are too short in international cricket grounds. The 133-match expert prepares to lead New Zealand's attack next to South Africa in tomorrow's second ODI at McLean Park, a batsman's paradise with area boundaries a tick over 50m each.

I'm a bowler so I'm going to be a little bit inclined. I think the wickets are too flat and the boundaries need to go out further," stuff.co.nz quote Mills, as saying. He also said that the bats are all attractive good these days and a mishit can go for six.

I think Hamilton is outrageous. The ropes are 4m in from the boards; that's absurd. Richard Levi possibly would have got out three or four times if the line was back on the boards, Mills said.

Mills also labeled the at once boundaries at Eden Park, scene of Saturday's third ODI, as absurd. An edging there has to travel less than 50m to reach the rope after the ground was rotate last summer.

Mills drew parallels with golf, where course are now being lengthened to contain longer hitters, and margins being placed on the technology of drivers He also bemoan less variety in pitches from city to city, as was the case a decade ago.

For ODIs, Mills felt the rope should be located as far out as possible. He said playing for Auckland at Colin Maiden Park, with its better boundaries, made them a better-equipped T20 team. Other pitches encouraged a block-bash attitude.