Manuka Oval is about one month ahead of its usual summer evolution thanks to the enforced COVID-19 shutdown which meant Wednesday's high scoring ODI was the first sporting match the venue had hosted since February.
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Australia and India combined for 591 runs on the country's most batting friendly ground, as the wicket produced pace and bounce not usually seen until January.
Five players plundered half centuries on Wednesday while the bowlers were also rewarded for their toil, particularly the spinners who extracted more turn and bounce than usual before Christmas.
Head groundsman Brad Van Dam and his team continued to maintain the playing arena throughout the 2020 sporting shutdown, ahead of a massive December where Manuka Oval will host eight cricket matches.
A series opening T20 international will be played there on Friday before six Big Bash League fixtures, beginning with the Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat seven days later.
"This year it was a little bit ahead of time due to the whole COVID thing and no AFL over winter meant [players] didn't really get stuck into it and rip it up," Van Dam said.
"You usually get a bit more pace and bounce after Christmas when it's had a lot more hot weather and a bit more baking.
"We had to change our turf management practices over that break, our spring renovation was a lot heavier and more intense than we usually do because the footy players assist in a way in wearing the surface out a little bit.
"This year we scarified it a little bit more and aerated it a little bit more to get out any of the unwanted dead grass that was in the surface that accumulated over the winter. Even the wicket square didn't get used and didn't really get any foot traffic over it."
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Australia and India will use the same wicket on Friday, two days after the tourists notched their first win of the summer.
Then the action will move to an adjacent pitch for the opening BBL games.
"We already started the preparation of that about four or five days ago so that if there's inclement weather [this weekend] and we can't due any preparation due to the fact the covers are on," Van Dam said.
"I'd rather have the deck started and on its way ready for the following Friday just in case we do get stuck with weather. We're ahead of the eight ball, we're there ready to go."
Cameron Green will long remember the venue, after making his Australian debut on Wednesday.
He bowled four overs at the Indians before striding to the wicket at number five and making 21 runs. He said Manuka Oval had lived up to its hype.
"It was a beautiful wicket [and] had a bit in it for both teams to be fair," Green said.
"For the bowlers there was a bit of pop and bounce, for the spinners there was a bit of spin - from previous games at Manuka I'd heard it was a bit flat or a bit glassy.
"The ground maybe was a little bit smaller than most international grounds. Still a beautiful outfield, really quick, and the crowd were awesome as well.
"It was a good place to start."
Manuka will host six Big Bash matches in 19 days starting from December 11.
The Sydney Thunder, who arrive in Canberra next week, will play in five of those fixtures.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
