Trent Bridge & The Ashes

[Goughy]

Headingley was never the nicest and OT was always seen as a little run down and shabby.

Both are probably improved in recent years but Trent Bridge is more attractive than both

 

[Richard]

the pitch is probably the best in the country

Nah, don't feel any one square produces the best wickets in the country - aside from the fact that "best" is a MOO depending on what your role is or what role you like to see performed most.

Batsmen would very probably say The Oval, Lord's and Taunton have the best wickets in the country; seamers would probably say Headingley, The Rose Bowl or The Riverside is; spinners might well go for Old Trafford, and if not then Wantage Road. Apart from the fact it's turned, Old Trafford's Test pitches haven't really conformed to any real stereotype in recent years. There's been even, uneven, seaming, non-seaming, and the works really.

 

[NFFC]

I don't think there's a right minded cricket fan in the country who can believe TB has missed out on hosting an Ashes Test next summer. Whats all the more galling is the fact that its been ignored in favour of a ground that's basically not much more than an outground and thats not hosted a Test before. Surely Cardiff should have done its 'apprenticeship' like The Riverside and hosted the minor sides like Zimbabwe,Bangladesh and The Windies 1st in Tests. Even the press have noted with astonishment the lack of Ashes action in Nottingham next season and outside of London there is no better cricket ground in the country.

I know I'm biased being a member but yesterday brought home what a special venue TB is and what a shameful decision it is to deny it such a prestigious game on what seems political grounds. To add insult to injury there isn't even a test match there next season, and the T20 World Cup is a pretty poor consolation prize.

I was there Saturday for the 3rd day of the NZ test. It's a disgrace that neither of Trent Bridge or Old Trafford is getting one Cardiff ain't even better than the Rose Bowl or Chester-le-Street when it's completed IMO. It's a disgrace

 

[Richard]

This place becoming quite a bastion of dissatisfied Notts fans, it seems.

 

[chalky]

Old Trafford and Headingley have their undesireable parts - both remain in many ways excellent grounds though. Certainly far more deserving of Tests than The Riverside, The Rose Bowl or Sophia Gardens.

Why?

 

[Richard]

Because they've been staging international cricket for a century. You don't just override that because you've got some shiny new stadium IMO. There'd have to be an absolutely massive disparity in the calibre of the seating, extrassential faclities, and the like, to justify shifting Tests around.

 

[chalky]

Because they've been staging international cricket for a century. You don't just override that because you've got some shiny new stadium IMO. There'd have to be an absolutely massive disparity in the calibre of the seating, extrassential faclities, and the like, to justify shifting Tests around.

Weak

'We should continue using the same grounds because that's the way it's always been done'

You don't work in the public sector by any chance do you?

 

[Richard]

Don't work anywhere at the merment. It's certainly a possibility, though.

No reason to change things unless there's a very good reason IMO, simple as. Unless Headingley and Old Trafford truly do become complete dumps, you have to have very good reason to take Tests from them.

 

[GIMH]

How about the fact that Lancashire and Yorkshire are hotbeds of cricket support when compared with other parts of the country? And the fact that the northwest is probably the most sporting region of the UK.

 

[chalky]

How about the fact that Lancashire and Yorkshire are hotbeds of cricket support when compared with other parts of the country? And the fact that the northwest is probably the most sporting region of the UK.

Don't have any figures but if memory serves there usually seems to be a lot of empty seats @ both Headingly & Old Trafford tests (apart from Old Trafford during the 2005 Ashes of course).

 

[chalky]

Don't work anywhere at the merment. It's certainly a possibility, though.

No reason to change things unless there's a very good reason IMO, simple as. Unless Headingley and Old Trafford truly do become complete dumps, you have to have very good reason to take Tests from them.

Poor attendances or lack of revenue when compared to other potential grounds?

 

[Richard]

As said, I actually want to see some figures rather than mere supposition before we start doling-out this sort of stuff.

If it's truth, then we can start to look at matters. Until it is, no.

In any case, attendance and revenue are hardly game-fellows. Gate receipts make-up, what, 2-5% of Test match profits?

 

[superkingdave]

Well, tbh, gate revenues don't make anything for the ECB nowadays, Counties bid for the test and pay the ECB their bid amount, then try and make their profit from the gate receipts. It's the reason there is no test at trent bridge or old trafford next year...Cardiff doesn't need to make as much money on the gate to break even because the Welsh Assembly is giving them a load of money towards their bid, so they could bid more than OT and Trent Bridge. Under the ECB's new bidding process, as long as the ground meets minimum standards, the highest bidder wins.

So you see its useless discussing who should or shouldn't have had a test, it's all about the money.

 

[steds]

Apart from the fact it's turned, Old Trafford's Test pitches haven't really conformed to any real stereotype in recent years. There's been even, uneven, seaming, non-seaming, and the works really.

Over recent years the Old Trafford pitch has probably been the quickest of all the Test venues in the country. It traditionally offers bounce and turn and helps the spinners. And apart from the one freak day this year, I can't recall many matches where the pitch has disintegrated and offered uneven bounce. There's usually something there for batsmen, the quicker bowlers and spinners, which is more than can be said for most grounds in the country.

 

[steds]

Don't have any figures but if memory serves there usually seems to be a lot of empty seats @ both Headingly & Old Trafford tests (apart from Old Trafford during the 2005 Ashes of course).

OT Tests are usually extremely well attended, actually. All of the first 4 days against the West Indies in 04 where sell outs, and Day 5 was well attended considering it was all over before lunch. 05 speaks for itself. Was in the Isle of Man for a wedding during the Pakistan Test in 06, but from what I saw on tv it looked a decent crowd. Can't remember anything at all about last year, and this year the weather was iffy but on the days when it wasn't blowing a ****ing gale the gates were better.

 

[steds]

So you see its useless discussing who should or shouldn't have had a test, it's all about the money.

Disagree. It is all about the money, but OT and Trent Bridge should have Tests, and we reserve the right to point that out.

 

[GIMH]

OT Tests are usually extremely well attended, actually. All of the first 4 days against the West Indies in 04 where sell outs, and Day 5 was well attended considering it was all over before lunch. 05 speaks for itself. Was in the Isle of Man for a wedding during the Pakistan Test in 06, but from what I saw on tv it looked a decent crowd. Can't remember anything at all about last year, and this year the weather was iffy but on the days when it wasn't blowing a ****ing gale the gates were better.

Yeah the 06 Test was a sellout as well

 

[Goughy]

As said, I actually want to see some figures rather than mere supposition before we start doling-out this sort of stuff.

If it's truth, then we can start to look at matters. Until it is, no.

In any case, attendance and revenue are hardly game-fellows. Gate receipts make-up, what, 2-5% of Test match profits?

I cant speak for OT, but attendances at Headingley have often been lower than one would think.

TBH, Ive no reason to say Test cricket shouldnt move around more. If the stadia are there and the sales are strong then its shortsighted and selfish to limit the games to a few areas.

Spread the gospel, spread the wealth and if they are willing to pay for it (in tickets and new stadia) then give them what they want.

 

[GIMH]

I think one blindingly obvious solution is to cut Lord's down to one Test a year, deadset farce that it gets two and the capital three in total

 

[steds]

Ind33d.