***Official*** 4th Test at the MCG

[Son Of Coco]

This is one of Dobell's better recent articles with some good points in there; there were definitely sour grapes from Oz journos (and the cricket side) on their failed recent England tours; certainly Lehmann was moaning about the pitches in 2015 being too seamer-friendly and the story about the English side urinating on the pitch in 2013 seemed timed to undercut from England winning that series.

And - notwithstanding I visit it pretty regularly - the foxsports.com.au website is pretty dire; an ugly mix of sport from a corporate perspective and tediously sensationalist headlines.

But Dobell still seems to have a real chip on his shoulder about Australian cricketing culture; I reckon deep down he's jealous of how mainstream and popular the sport is. English cricketing culture and media can be jingoistic and sensationalist as well, but because the sport is nowhere near as popular in England as it is in Oz the suffocating media presence that touring teams feel in Oz is nowhere near as significant.

As for the public banter and verbals that's been engaged in this series, sure it can be tedious at times but for professional sport in 2017 you sometimes need hype and nonsense and provocation to stay in the social media/mainstream media eye and the verbals have helped ensure that's the case.

Dobell does seem to enjoy a good whinge himself. He appears to have missed the last 30 years or so of Ashes cricket. Wasn't the 1989 Australian team described by the English press as the worst team to ever travel to England?

The main problem with some of the 'sports journalism' that he's referring to is often the person reporting doesn't know one end of a cricket bat from the other, or if a rugby ball is round or oval-shaped.

 

[S.Kennedy]

One of my favourite writers actually, Dobell. He is one of the journalists who has been most articulate in defending the county system (which I personally hold very dear) against ECB cash grabbing, scheduling madness and this Australian-style competition which is supposed to be happening. He seems to dislike Twenty20 as much as me. He was also a great friend of Durham when we were shafted by the ECB, setting forth a series of very well written pieces which exposed the hypocrisy of the ECB.

 

[Gnske]

George " Ben Stokes is a hero" Dobell

I'll give him one piece of credit. His writing is the perfect yin to Kimber's yang. One writes like a boring sod, the other writes how a middle aged man thinks a cool young man would.

 

[GIMH]

Is it an early start tonight?

 

[Burgey]

Every Ashes test in which England has been competitive since 2005 has one thing in common: Allegations of them ball tampering.

 

[Adders]

Grrrrr stil on the ****ing train.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Every Ashes test in which England has been competitive since 2005 has one thing in common: Allegations of them ball tampering.

That is because they are playing against a nation who cannot accept defeat.

 

[mr_mister]

Is the era of intent over

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Dobell is just having a bit of a sook, especially his defence of Anderson's depth comments. Jimmy has given far more than he gets for over 10 years, absolutely nobody in world cricket has less of a right to feel hard done by.

 

[Burgey]

That is because they are playing against a nation who cannot accept defeat.

Nor should we

 

[Burgey]

Dobell is just having a bit of a sook, especially his defence of Anderson's depth comments. Jimmy has given far more than he gets for over 10 years, absolutely nobody in world cricket has less of a right to feel hard done by.

There used to be an anonymous player poll run every year in a footy magazine over here. I’d like to see the same thing for international players. I reckon you’d find Anderson regarded as the biggest **** with the thinnest skin in world cricket.

 

[Burgey]

In other news, this pitch is truly abhorrent. England batted themselves into a great position in this game; now we’re into day five and it’s still a featherbed.

 

[Midwinter]

Any one know what they'd be charging to get onto the G today?

Made an impulsive decision this morning and sitting on the train for 4 hours heading up.

Unfortunately it will be full price, $30 general admission

But CA will be making a donation to charity on your behalf

 

[Burgey]

Kids 15 and under get in free apparently

 

[GotSpin]

Well done on the MCG for outdoing the Gabba as the shittest wicket

 

[GotSpin]

Barmy Army blocking out some of the commentary actually. For that, we thank you

 

[Groundking]

How hard is it really to produce a quality wicket in 25+ degrees weather with little rain? Such a dead wicket.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Well done on the MCG for outdoing the Gabba as the shittest wicket

Haven’t they been using drop-ins for a while now? You’d have thought that the standard would have improved.

 

[Burgey]

Haven’t they been using drop-ins for a while now? You’d have thought that the standard would have improved.

Had drop-ins for more than a decade now. They used to have a bit of tennis ball-type bounce but now they’re just mattresses. It’s shite.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Had drop-ins for more than a decade now. They used to have a bit of tennis ball-type bounce but now they’re just mattresses. It’s shite.

I know that there are financial implications for tests not lasting 5 days for some, but this is just boring. Surely 4 days of exciting cricket is more of an incentive to get bums on seats than this.