Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

[dodge]

Stuffed up big time.  Even though it is going to be a different pitch for the test, they can't afford for it to be a road, as the pitch hasn't rated well for the last two tests - needs to be something in it.

There would be some other states that can't wait to take over the boxing day test from us if we can't get the pitch right.

[capcom]

Suspect there will be some serious investigations into that debacle.  It looked ugly.

[Professer E]

I'm not saying the MCG pitch  is acceptable,  but India has been serving up doctored,  rubbish pitches for years and all the cricketing world gets is ..... crickets.

[dodge]

Doctored, but by no means dangerous.  They prepare pitches to suit their players and not the opposition.  We tend to prepare pitches that don't favour us, except for the Gabba and WACA in years gone by.  Not sure if Pakistani pitches were suited to opposition, either.

India has the money...

Crazy thing about the MCG pitch is that the Vics might actually get some points.  Should be fined and warned.  Some of the balls that spat were quite nasty.

[LP]

Crazy thing about the MCG pitch is that the Vics might actually get some points.  Should be fined and warned.  Some of the balls that spat were quite nasty.

I agree they were nasty.

But this risk avoidance is a modern trend, a sort of a shell-shock reaction to the Phil Hughes events.

The older forum members will remember the hellish days of dodgy West Indian or even flaky Adelaide oval pitches that behaved like this. I didn't see Sir Garfield, Sir Vivian, Sir Ian or Sir Richie pull up stumps and head home when the pitch got a bit dodgy even in that pre-helmet era!

We'd laugh loudly as the Indian top order was demolished by Thompson and Lillee at the height of their fast bowling powers. Even louder at Tony Grieg, pre and post helmet!

Now they have all manner of advanced head, chest, arm, hip and all other default means of protection, and they've pulled the pin! Is it a genuine concern or a lack of modern skills and endurance?

But here today there is a tell, one that seems worth questioning. If you can find it watch the broadcast TV interviews about the MCG pitch, there is one interview containing a significant Freudian slip concerning objective and subjective participles!

Are they too safe, in terms of income stream security, and I too cynical?

[malo]

I agree they were nasty.

But this risk avoidance is a modern trend, a sort of a shell-shock reaction to the Phil Hughes events.

The older forum members will remember the hellish days of dodgy West Indian or even flaky Adelaide oval pitches that behaved like this. I didn't see Sir Garfield, Sir Vivian, Sir Ian or Sir Richie pull up stumps and head home when the pitch got a bit dodgy even in that pre-helmet era!

We'd laugh loudly as the Indian top order was demolished by Thompson and Lillee at the height of their fast bowling powers. Even louder at Tony Grieg, pre and post helmet!

We also winced when our top order was battered & then demolished by Holding, Garner, Croft & Roberts etc, etc.....& marvelled at innings the likes of Kim Hughes Boxing Day test 1981 counter attacking against the odds !

yeah....I am slightly of the opinion that batsmen are rather too pampered these days....the MCG pitch was routinely poor through much of the 80s.

[LP]

This Perth Day / Night Test seems dead in the water already.

I don't know what it is about the timing and/or broadcast of this match, in my opinion a Perth Day/Night just doesn't work.

Firstly, it's not really Day/Night, they start so early over there that with the sun setting over the water it is like the last 5 mins of play after sunset and that is it done for the day! They have obviously done this so that stumps can be at a reasonable hour in Sydney.

But stumps isn't at a reasonable hour in the East, and pity the New Zealanders, most play is interrupted by news broadcasts and/or eventually bed! At Dinner for many there was no going back! Even the freebies they offered to Perth locals for the last session didn't help. Their out enjoying cafes, clubs and bars as the sun sets, and why wouldn't you?

It seems just wrong, a novelty more than an event, like the Singapore and other night GPs! Great spectacle, extraordinary decoration, but lacking that same substance and hard edge of a traditional contest.

The broadcast team are trying, very trying some may argue, but they can't beat any life out of this game, I think I'll teach myself to crochet!

[capcom]

This Perth Day / Night Test seems dead in the water already.

I don't know what it is about the timing and/or broadcast of this match, in my opinion a Perth Day/Night just doesn't work.

They can't stop fiddling with the game.  But I'm a dyed in the wool traditionalist

[Professer E]

Don't know why Head gets a game,  finds ways to get out.  Soft ways.   

[JonHenry]

Don't know why Head gets a game,  finds ways to get out.  Soft ways. 

Wade is at 5.
Probably explains why Head gets a game.
We don’t have depth