Australian Domestic Season 2015/16

[Midwinter]

Good effort from the Vics, started by Patto, followed up by the bananaman and then the Duke got in on the act.

Wonder what the explanation is, did the ball start swinging ?

Can the Queenslanders do the same to the Vics ?

 

[Spikey]

nsw bois very happy to have taken freg's ton away from him

 

[Julian87]

Why did Mennie bat ahead of Zampa in the second dig?

 

[Midwinter]

After the batting seen during the first two days at the MCG it was a big surprise to see Qld bowled out in less than a day.

Vics off to a good start but weather may play a role today.

#didntgotowatchthethirdday

 

[Midwinter]

CA are floating the idea of doing away with the shield final, any thoughts about it ?

It could be just a return to the traditional method of determining the winner.

It is the match which closes of the season, it would be diappointing if they stopped having it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I like the Shield final tbh.

 

[adub]

I love the Shield Final in theory, but something should be done to even it up a bit to prevent the bore draw year after year. Don't know exactly how that might happen, but a final seems a much more suitable way of determining the winner than just points in a system where there are bonus points that often end up being determined by the vagaries of the weather or the pitch (or national selections) more than actual on field performances.

 

[TheJediBrah]

One of the biggest factors that leads to the dull draw year after year is the "home team always wins if there's a draw" rule. Of course you're going to prepare a road.

Can't really see a way around that though. You can't make it a 10-day match to ensure a result and you can't take that advantage away from the home team otherwise there's no advantage to finishing top and if a draw does happen then who wins?

 

[morgieb]

Neutral grounds could be an option.

 

[NUFAN]

I would just prefer the pitch to not be so flat. It wouldn't be that hard to have some sort of expert work with the home curator and create a result orientated pitch. No one is going to mind if the Shield final only lasts 4 days. The team who finishes the regular season in first deserves home ground advantage so I'm against neutral ground to stage the final.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I would just prefer the pitch to be a result. It wouldn't be that hard to have some sort of expert work with the home curator. No one is going to mind if the Shield final only lasts 4 days. The team who finishes the regular season in first deserves home ground advantage so I'm against neutral final.

Great in theory, but who's going to convince the home team to prepare a result pitch when all they need to win the Shield is a draw

You could hire an "overseer" or "enforcer" to try make sure it doesn't happen but that's never going to happen.

If the only change you make is change to a neutral venue, it might work. Won't stop the top team playing for a draw but at least you might get a results pitch

 

[social]

Neutral grounds could be an option.

Makes too much sense

Havent checked but cant imagine that Finals are massive crowd-pullers so any loss of revenue should be irrelevant

Maybe they could rotate venues with a different state hosting it each year

 

[NUFAN]

Great in theory, but who's going to convince the home team to prepare a result pitch when all they need to win the Shield is a draw

You could hire an "overseer" or "enforcer" to try make sure it doesn't happen but that's never going to happen.

If the only change you make is change to a neutral venue, it might work. Won't stop the top team playing for a draw but at least you might get a results pitch

Mike Hunt or the Cricket Australia expert curator.

 

[NUFAN]

Maybe they could rotate venues with a different state hosting it each year

Makes not enough sense. What happens when its the year of the team which finishes first turn to host the Final or worse the second placed teams turn?

It is not that hard to produce a lively pitch, just do it and if your team loses, they probably deserve to.

 

[Gnske]

Replace the final with the godawful six hitting contest the Big Bash tried last year, bound to work better.

 

[Dan]

Just play it at Manuka ffs

 

[adub]

I wouldn't mind Manuka if the pitch wasn't so crap. Of course being wholely within NSW might make it a bit easier to take for me and WACA fans might be a bit less keen. It's the one ground where you would likely get a fair crowd no matter who was playing though.

If they did say Manuka it is for Shield finals and CA took charge to improve the square so that it produced a good even pitch with a bit in it for everyone that would probably be the best solution. Hopefully then Canberra could take to it and make it an important part of the calendar like Boxing Day - Melbourne Test, New Year - Sydney Test.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If they played it at Manuka I'd go every day, really like that ground a lot except for the ****ty selection of mid-strength alcohol they have. Though they did have CC & Dry at the BBL final so that's a definite step in the right direction. The food there is fantastic (wood-fired pizza van is heavenly, plus they had a fantastic Gozemle van there for the SA vs IRE WC game).

EDIT: I just like Canberra in general tbh. The young people that are there are generally intelligent due to the nature of the place and you can just meet some cool people and it has a really chill vibe, especially in Manuka after the games. Big fan.

 

[Tangles]

Jeez the Redbacks stink.

Got Smith and Starc a good work out with an early finish. Great effort for the test team IMO.

 

[Gnske]

Man, Doran's cover drive is delicious.

A pity Alex Doolan is ruining the fun at the other end, absolutely useless.