Trent Bridge & The Ashes

[Goughy]

Ind33d.

It would simplify things. Though Lords is far bigger and far more expensive to attend and therefore worth a lot more to ECB than a Test at Trent Bridge or one of the newer grounds.

 

[Richard]

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

There's certainly a fair case for that, but it won't solve all the problems, as there's now 10 grounds wanting Tests.

 

[GIMH]

Aye, give 7 of them Tests and then compensate the other three with key games, if we still had the tri-series you could have given one the final of that, maybe one could get T20 finals day, I don't know. But when there is such intense competition, Lord's should not get two, and I don't see why The Oval gets to be an automatic selection either

 

[Richard]

I don't have any objection to The Oval, or Lord's, or Edgbaston (or indeed Trent Bridge) getting automatic Tests. The summer finishing at The Oval is one tradition that endears down the years (though there've been a few exceptions) and I'd hate to see that disappear. I also actually quite like it starting at Edgbaston, as this was inherant when I started getting into the game (ie, 1997-2003).

 

[NFFC]

Yeah Lords should definitely only get one test. With it getting two it means that London has 3 out of 7 tests, which is nearly half and way too many. I don't mind the Rose Bowl getting a Test Match, that's a great ground, but what was the point in completely rebuilding a ground when there's two perfectly good one's (Trent Bridge and Old Trafford) there waiting?

 

[howardj]

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.

Yeah, am gutted that Cardiff gets a Test instead of OT and TB. Moreover, the 1st Test of an Ashes series is as special and sacred as Test cricket gets. And to give Cardiff the honour absolutely galls me.

 

[Richard]

There isn't a ground that's specialised in it though. First Ashes Tests have been played everywhere except The Oval. Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's, Trent Bridge, even Old Trafford IIRR.

Sophia Gardens' inaugural Test is an Ashes. Why not add more lustre still by making it the opening game?

 

[superkingdave]

Interesting snippet from a cricinfo article about Swann

"It's disappointing we are not playing on a couple of grounds which favour our methods of winning Test matches, but we've got to roll with that and move on." As with many of his team-mates, the non-selection of Old Trafford as an Ashes venue clearly grates.

http://content.cricinfo.com/engvwi2009/content/current/story/402927.html