Bemused Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile is no fan of the modern trend to embrace drop-in wickets and admits he "hates" the decision to make his beloved WACA ground a second-tier cricket venue.
Under a new blueprint that has already been approved by the WACA board, Test and international limited-overs games involving South Africa, India and England will be moved to the new $1.2 billion, 60,000-seat stadium at Burswood.
All Big Bash League matches will also be moved from the WACA to the new Perth Stadium, which will be completed by 2018 and will use drop-in wickets with the aim to replicate as closely as possible the iconic, pacey WACA pitches.
The WACA will still host Sheffield Shield matches, as well as Tests and ODIs involving other countries.
The decision led to Australia's greatest fast bowler, Dennis Lillee, resigning as WACA president - arguing he simply "couldn't stand by and watch what is happening".
And it saddens the Perth-born Coulter-Nile, one of Australia's premier short-form bowlers and a contender to make his Test debut on October's tour of Bangladesh.
"I don't know if I'm allowed to comment on it but I hate it, I'd much rather be at the WACA," said Coulter-Nile, who is a member of the Perth Scorchers.
"It's an amazing atmosphere.
"You play at some of these grounds with the drop-in pitches and the massive stadiums (and) you still get 20,000 there but it just feels like it's empty.
"Pitches are dull and boring."
Coulter-Nile would much prefer to see matches played at smaller venues, such as the 20,000-capacity WACA.
"It's loud right behind you, bouncy wicket, something that has a bit of character about it, but it's obviously not up to me to make the decisions," he said.
Drop-in wickets are becoming increasingly common across Australia, notably at the Adelaide Oval and the MCG, as the demands of multi-sport stadiums overshadow the need for character in pitches.
"So you're getting a lot of cricket that's all the same," Coulter-Nile said.
"You go to the Gabba and it's flat (instead of being) traditionally quick and bouncy.
"Then you've go the rest of them that are now drop-ins which are all just Adelaide Oval, MCG, they're all just flat.
"If that's what people want to see then so be it."
Coulter-Nile welcomed any ambition to replicate the WACA pitch at the new Perth venue.
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