***Official*** South Africa in England

[SpaceMonkey]

What do you guys make of Sophia gardens as an Ashes test venue, is it ready and good enough for it??
This is what Freddie has to say about it:
"It's damp. It's better than last time I came. It's not Old Trafford, but it's all right."
Andrew Flintoff struggles to get enthusiastic about Cardiff's new-look stadium, the venue for next year's first Ashes Test

Its a bit of a joke really. The Welsh assembly pretty much bought the Test match. When there were much more viable venues for any Test, yet alone an Ashes Test.
I can understand the ECB wanting to bring Test cricket to Wales, but not like this IMO.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Bit of a disgrace it's leapfrogged The Riverside & The Rose Bowl for me, not to mention the more established test grounds who didn't get an Ashes test either (Old Trafford & Trent Bridge from memory?). I think I'm right in saying it has the smallest capacity out of any of the potential venues as well as the highest rainfall.

Plus, obviously, it's in Wales too.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, one of the more absurd decisions of our time, I blame devolution

 

[Richard]

Haha, Sophia Gardens > The Rose Bowl. The Riverside you can argue has a fair case, but not The Rose Bowl.

Let's just hope circumstances conspire in the favour of the ground and we get a great Test next year.

 

[GIMH]

More bothered about the fact that trent Bridge>Cardiff & OT>Cardiff

 

[Uppercut]

OT especially. My favourite English venue by a distance. And my moving to Manchester just had to coincide with it being dumped for test cricket

 

[Richard]

More bothered about the fact that trent Bridge>Cardiff & OT>Cardiff

The latter is debateable ITBT, though with the number of Lancastrians on CW you'll never get a consensus on that.

 

[Uppercut]

The latter is debateable ITBT, though with the number of Lancastrians on CW you'll never get a consensus on that.

Unfortunately, quality of cricket at each venue doesn't come into it at all. If it did, playing at OT would be a no-brainer.

 

[superkingdave]

If we stopped playing in other countries there'd be enough tests to go round. Playing in France is bad enough without throwing in Wales.

 

[Richard]

Unfortunately, quality of cricket at each venue doesn't come into it at all. If it did, playing at OT would be a no-brainer.

The quality of the ground is the most important thing, and Old Trafford simply isn't that good by current standards. If and when the neccessary improvements are made, then I'm sure Test cricket will be returned to the place.

 

[GIMH]

The latter is debateable ITBT, though with the number of Lancastrians on CW you'll never get a consensus on that.

The quality of the ground is the most important thing, and Old Trafford simply isn't that good by current standards. If and when the neccessary improvements are made, then I'm sure Test cricket will be returned to the place.

The chances of England winning there and the quality of the wicket are what most fans care about though. It's not just in the interest of Lancs fans for OT to host Test matches, but England fans in general. The only ground that matches OT for atmosphere at its best during a Test is Edgbaston IMO, this is also important.

Yeah, the grounds paying more and holding more fans will being in more cash in the short-term, but a successful England team is surekly the primary objective and probably better for the long-term finances of the ECB.

 

[Richard]

While England winning is obviously important (and the main reason they've done that in recent years has been Monty Panesar) it's certainly not the only thing. Nor is it the case that Old Trafford = England win, it's just worked-out that way for the last few years.

Old Trafford lost big credibility in the late-1990s when the ground was routinely barely half-full for all non-Saturday Test days. That sort of thing isn't erased easily. Lord's and elsewhere just isn't the same.

 

[GIMH]

While England winning is obviously important (and the main reason they've done that in recent years has been Monty Panesar) it's certainly not the only thing. Nor is it the case that Old Trafford = England win, it's just worked-out that way for the last few years.

Old Trafford lost big credibility in the late-1990s when the ground was routinely barely half-full for all non-Saturday Test days. That sort of thing isn't erased easily. Lord's and elsewhere just isn't the same.

It is to me

 

[Goughy]

Its a bit of a joke really. The Welsh assembly pretty much bought the Test match. When there were much more viable venues for any Test, yet alone an Ashes Test.
I can understand the ECB wanting to bring Test cricket to Wales, but not like this IMO.

In an age where the national broadcaster will not bid on any cricket and where the Scottish will not even recognise cricket, it is refreshing the the Welsh Assembly is willing to invest in cricket and Welsh cricket.

Good luck to them. Any investment and faith in cricket is positive.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, and paid for by English taxes

 

[Flem274*]

Havent been able to congratulate England until now due to moving house, but I'd like to congratulate them and register my shock that they beat SA in an ODI series. Excellent stuff by a team not known for ODI ability.

Though I'm surprised after just one series they've gone from nowhere to third in the ODI rankings, probably ahead of us. Bastards.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, ahead of you

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah, ahead of you

3-1

 

[GIMH]

3rd in the world v 4th in the world

 

[Flem274*]

3rd in the world v 4th in the world

Need a rematch when both Oram and Flintoff are in top form tbh. Battle of the two best allrounders in the world.

Prior is no McCullum though, needs to go for a walk around the pitch before he can be as wierd as McCullums ODI batting.