Australian openers David Warner and Joe Burns have brushed off concerns about the MCG pitch, but it's the cracks in Perth which have put the team's Test stars on edge.
The Sheffield Shield game between Western Australia and Victoria was called off on Sunday after it was deemed the MCG was too dangerous to play on.
Warriors duo Shaun Marsh and Marcus Stoinis had to undergo concussion tests after balls spat up dangerously from the deck on Saturday and hit them on the head.
The Boxing Day Test between Australia and New Zealand is less than three weeks away, but Warner has no concerns about what deck he will be confronted with.
"I'm backing the curator (Matt Page) to do a great job and bounce back from that," Warner said.
"It's a bit disappointing ... a first-class game had to get cancelled. But at the end of the day, curators around the country try their utmost best to get a pitch prepared and prepared as well as they can.
"There's been a lot of talking points about the MCG in recent years (being too flat), and Page is working his backside off to get that right.
"He's got some time up his sleeve now before the Boxing Day Test, and we've got a lot of faith in him to do that. We've just got to keep backing the curators. It's a very tough job to do."
Fellow opener Burns says he has no doubt a safe pitch will be produced for Boxing Day.
"I think the curator - obviously, it didn't end well this game, but I commend him for giving it a crack to try to get a result wicket down there," Burns said.
"Obviously, the last few years, it's been a pretty flat wicket, so you have to change something and, unfortunately this time, it didn't work out well.
"But you'd rather see curators try to produce wickets that produce results as opposed to boring draws for fans and everyone that watches."
Recent and upcoming heatwaves in Perth mean the Optus Stadium deck might feature treacherous cracks when the three-Test series against NZ gets under way on Thursday.
Maximums of 39, 40 and 41 degrees are forecast for the first three days of the inaugural day-night Test in Perth, and Warner is expecting plenty of cracks to appear.
"Maybe we'll be able to rest the bat in the middle of the cracks," Warner joked.
"I think, as a batsman, you just look down and it's always in your mind. You're just like, 'If one hits that crack, what's it going to do?'.
"I think there was one outside off (when I played at the WACA) - I think Martin Pascal bowled it to me.
"I went to play a cover drive and it went straight over my right shoulder, and I laughed. I literally had no idea what to do.
"But when have the prospect of a wicket going to crack, you get excited as a batsman.
"I just think you've got to try to eliminate the visual aspect of it and just try to play your natural game and, if it hits a crack, so be it."
Australian Associated Press
