Mbombela pitch in spotlight

Johannesburg - The readiness of South Africa's lackluster national team and Mbombela Stadium's troublesome pitch will become clearer this weekend less than a month before the Soccer World Cup.

The host team begins its final round of warmup matches against Thailand on Sunday at the new 46 000-seat, $105m Mbombela in the northern city of Nelspruit.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is still hard at work with Bafana Bafana, but FIFA hopes pitch expert Richard Hayden's job is just about done at Mbombela.

The field, which will be played on four times in the World Cup, once by world champion Italy, has been dug up and replanted three times. Reporters who toured the venue earlier this year were shocked to find dirt, and no grass.

"FIFA was concerned more than worried," Hayden told The Associated Press. "Concern leads to action, worry leads to panic. And no one panicked."

But urgent action was needed by Hayden's UK-based Sports Turf Research Institute, the first pitch consultants hired for a World Cup.

"We promised that the pitch would be green in two weeks, playable in six weeks and world class in eight weeks. And it is," Hayden said. "A dust bowl in February could very well become the best pitch of the World Cup."

Hayden is regarded as the world's leading pitch expert. He is responsible for some of sport's most famous grass: Wimbledon, the British Open's nine championship golf courses and Lord's cricket ground.

Local organizing committee chief executive Danny Jordaan was one who was impressed with what Hayden achieved at Mbombela.

"You can see that the grass was produced by a specialist," Jordaan said. "It's just amazing how it came up in two weeks."

Mbombela 2010 co-ordinator Differ Mogale said they were delighted.

"We now have a great pitch which, come the tournament, will be among the best in the world," he said.

The proof is in the playing and South Africa versus Thailand will provide Mbombela with its first test. Hayden and his people will study how the pitch holds up during the game.

"The players are, ultimately, our end customers," he said. "We often talk to players before and after the match about how the pitch is playing."

Hayden is keen for Parreira's and Thailand coach and former England captain Bryan Robson's opinions after Sunday's game. Italy boss Marcello Lippi may well be watching, too, ahead of the world champion's Group F match against New Zealand at Mbombela on June 28.

The pitches will soon have the world's attention focused on them.

"I aim to be at each stadium at least three times during the tournament," Hayden said. "This means more flights, hotels and travel, but it's worth it. It's the biggest stage in our business and the world is watching."