The pitch prepared for Test cricket's long-awaited return to the Brabourne Stadium when India takes on Sri Lanka in the third and final match from Wednesday appears to be a balanced one, feels former Mumbai cricketer Milind Rege.

"It is a 50-50 wicket. It will help the batsmen and the bowlers," said Rege, cricket secretary of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) who has been involved in preparing the track at the Brabourne Stadium which will host its first Test since February, 1973.

Rege cautioned the two teams' batsmen that the moisture underneath, which had been retained to prevent the wicket from cracking, will be of some help to the bowlers initially.

"There will be good bounce as there will be good moisture. If it is a dry wicket, it will crumble immediately. It will bind the soil. It's a December sun and it is not hard," he said.

Rege, who had played most of his top flight cricket during Mumbai's home games at this venue, explained that the stiff breeze would allow for movement in the air more than the Wankhede Stadium situated at a stone's throw away.

"The ball should move, similar to Wankhede Stadium. In fact, there will be more (movement) as there is more open space at this venue. There will be more breeze here. It is always a good toss to win but you have to be careful in the two to three hours of the game," he indicated.

Rege said the ground authorities had been preparing the wicket for the deciding game over the last month and some matches had also been played on the square though not on this 22-yard strip.

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