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ICC proposal could see Ashes ditch the coin toss

Twizzle

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ICC proposal could see Ashes ditch the coin toss
By AAP


Next year's Ashes may be the high-profile guinea-pig series if a proposal is agreed to ditch the coin toss for all matches in the International Cricket Council's new Test championship.

Briefing notes for an ICC committee meeting at the end of this month indicate time may be up for the toss in the majority of Tests to help address concerns about exaggerated home advantage.

The age-old spectacle of captains tossing up and calling heads or tails is a pre-match staple on the first morning of Tests, and has been throughout the format's near 150-year history.

But depending on the deliberations of the ICC's cricket committee in Mumbai, it may be sacrificed in time for the Ashes - due to be the starting point for matches which will count towards the inaugural Test championship.

Instead, the visiting captain would simply be given the option of whether to bat or bowl first - depending on his reading of conditions - although it is understood the change will not pertain to bilateral series outside the Test championship.

Cricinfo published content on Thursday from a "briefing note circulated before the ICC cricket committee meeting".

It reads: "There is serious concern about the current level of home team interference in Test pitch preparation, and more than one committee member believes that the toss should be automatically awarded to the visiting team in each match - although there are some others on the committee who do not share that view."

The toss has already become optional in first-class county matches in England, where the visiting captain can opt to bowl first if he wishes - but if he would prefer to bat, must still rely on the way the coin lands.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/2018/05/18/04/22/plan-could-leave-aust-without-ashes-toss?ocid=social-WWOS
 

simmo1

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The toss has already become optional in first-class county matches in England, where the visiting captain can opt to bowl first if he wishes - but if he would prefer to bat, must still rely on the way the coin lands.

Doesn't this just encourage groundsmen to produce batting tracks?

Anyways, I think groundskeepers should be able to create favourable pitches for the home side - within reason. Pitches like Melbourne and some of the garbage in India should be published by ICC, but I don't have an issue with home ground advantage.
 

JJ

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Yep - we'll have WACA pitches everywhere - a test average of 50 will be the new 30
 

Bazal

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Doesn't this just encourage groundsmen to produce batting tracks?

Exactly. All this will do is create a situation where groundsmen are instructed to create wickets that basically do nothing so that the home side is never disadvantaged.

Does anyone think traditional green wickets will stay green for long if the visiting side gets to bowl first 100% of the time? Or big turning wickets will be prepared to turn as much if the visiting side gets to bowl last 100% of the time? It's gonna be tarmac city ffs

Why don't national boards just nut up and prepare their own players properly? WTF has happened to A tours? Why don't the CA XI tour England or NZ or Bangladesh playing local domestic teams instead of f**king about in a pointless ODD competition?

The problem isn't home ground advantage. The problem is that countries aren't preparing their players properly.
 

JJ

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Exactly. All this will do is create a situation where groundsmen are instructed to create wickets that basically do nothing so that the home side is never disadvantaged.

Does anyone think traditional green wickets will stay green for long if the visiting side gets to bowl first 100% of the time? Or big turning wickets will be prepared to turn as much if the visiting side gets to bowl last 100% of the time? It's gonna be tarmac city ffs

Why don't national boards just nut up and prepare their own players properly? WTF has happened to A tours? Why don't the CA XI tour England or NZ or Bangladesh playing local domestic teams instead of f**king about in a pointless ODD competition?

The problem isn't home ground advantage. The problem is that countries aren't preparing their players properly.
I don't see what the problem is TBH except as you say too many can't play on tracks offering anything to bowlers
 

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