1st Test: Australia v England at Brisbane Nov 21-25, 2013

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

1. Why are the Rolling Stones still touring?

2. Why is BunniesMan still pretending he knows anything about cricket?

 

[madunit]

The WACA is putting in drop ins. AFL doesn't play at the WACA.

Cricket Australia wants to move towards drops in and when fans get pissed off it uses AFL as an excuse.

And about Adelaide specifically, it has always been great to bat on. Drop ins usually favour batsmen. It's hardly going to transform cricket in Adelaide.

Your posts contain so much wrong that soon, the people at Oxford Dictionaries will have to create a new term for something that is more wrong than wrong, so that the poor people in the world can properly describe your utter wrongness.

 

[El Diablo]

A)
B) Drop in pitches have nothing to do with the AFL. Cricket administrators choose to use drop in pitches in stadiums that don't even have AFL teams.

f**k off idiot

http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/scg-fights-afl-drop-in-pitch-push/story-fn6ck6f9-1226049367749

SCG fights AFL drop-in pitch push

Malcolm Conn
The Courier-Mail
May 04, 2011 12:00AM

THE Sydney Cricket Ground will fiercely resist continuing AFL pressure to install drop-in pitches despite the Adelaide Oval agreeing to remove its iconic centre wicket.

SCG Trust chairman Rodney Cavalier described the AFL's push to remove the pitch for the football season to better accommodate the Swans as "ongoing".

"Even if the Sydney Cricket Ground is the last cricket ground in the world, the Sydney Cricket Ground will not have a drop-in wicket," Cavalier said yesterday.

"We don't believe that any drop-in wicket works as well as a traditional cricket wicket."

 

[madunit]

SCG has been the staunchest ground in the world against drop in wickets and I for one love them for that.

WACA has such a well renowned pitch through history that they would also be very hard to convince to adopt drop in wickets. The picthes at WACA and the SCG are iconic and part of the grounds character.

Adelaide was always a road and the MCG used to be pretty even, but its now more of a batsmens pitch courtesy of the drop-ins being made with little relevance to the ground itself. At least in Adelaide they've made some effort to try and make the drop in as close to replicating an actual traditional Adelaide oval wicket.

 

[typicalfan]

Your posts contain so much wrong that soon, the people at Oxford Dictionaries will have to create a new term for something that is more wrong than wrong, so that the poor people in the world can properly describe your utter wrongness.

Sorry Mark Braybrook shotgunned it.

 

[typicalfan]

Adelaide still has short square boundaries so guys like Mitch will struggle imo unless the short ball works.

 

[undertaker]

The Gabba also under siege from the AFL, even only a few months ago:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...ba-drop-in-pitch/story-fni5f4q3-1226664155553

JONATHAN Brown has used his influential voice to re-ignite calls for a Gabba drop-in pitch but AFL great Leigh Matthews believes the powerful cricket lobby will quash the movement again.

With The Courier-Mail recently revealing the

, the AFL is primed to relaunch its push for a controversial drop-in pitch to ease the burden on footballers.

The Brisbane Lions have long feared the hard Gabba centre-square area is causing injuries to ruckmen and club co-captain Brown believes there is no good reason not to have an artificial pitch.

Cricket's argument has always been that drop-in pitches produce boring contests but Brown points to the drop-in MCG pitch and the fact the AFL is now arguably the Gabba's No.1 tenant.

"A drop-in pitch should clearly be in there. I look at the MCG which is the greatest cricket arena in the world, although some would argue Lord's, but to me it's the MCG and they have a drop-in pitch," Brown said.

"The MCG is a good pitch now, so if it is good enough for them it is good enough for the Gabba.

"It is so 20th century having a cricket pitch there and footballers have to play on it.

"It is a multi-dimensional arena and with technology these days, and the climate up here, I can't see why they don't do it.

"I think the Brisbane Lions bring a fair bit to the Gabba when you look at crowds compared to cricket."

When Matthews was Lions coach, he lobbied for a drop-in pitch because he always felt the centre square was doing damage to his players.

He never got the idea over the line, with former Queensland premier Anna Bligh once vowing there would never be a drop-in Gabba pitch while she was in office.

However the State Government's recent announcement that the running of state-owned sporting venues would be outsourced to the private sector has increased the pressure for a drop-in pitch.

Matthews insists there should be an artificial pitch but has some doubts it will ever get the green light.

"They can just keep revisiting it but the cricket lobby is stronger than the AFL lobby," Matthews said. "The fact that you would like to play footy on a ground without a hard centre, that is pretty obvious.

"But that aside there is a big cost involved, so that is a good excuse not to do anything.

"The cricket lobby keep pushing how the normal pitches are better than the drop-in pitches."

Matthews is full of praise for long-time Gabba curator Kev Mitchell but says there is little doubt the centre square is causing problems and making AFL games unattractive.

"For safety, Kev Mitchell does his best to soften the pitch for the AFL," Matthews said. "But you either make it really slippery or really hard. Clearly it is not good to play footy on."

I believe cricket has been played at The Gabba for many years before the Brisbane Bears/Lions started playing. Now, drop-in pitches should be introduced to the satisfaction of the AFL? Get out of here!

 

[undertaker]

That is correct

That's right. When I went to the National Sports Museum at the MCG a couple of years ago, the tour guide told us that the MCG have been using drop-in pitches since the late 80s or early 90s (can't remember exactly when) and also Adelaide Oval was planning on using them due to the Crows and Port Power were planning on transferring their home games there in the future (which will happen next year).

WACA has no need for drop-in pitches since the AFL stop playing games there after the reconfiguration of the ground, meaning the horizontal boundaries have been brought much further in since the end of the 2001/02 season (and the ground capacity also shortened in the process). Pre-2002 and before the days of ropes, those horizontal boundaries at the WACA were the longest in Australia and in the world. Have a look at how far the boundary fence used to be before they were brought in and also introduced ropes. Easily a 100m+ hit for a six :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bSWpSI9pbI

Also this six from Robin Smith in the '92WC at 2:38 in the video clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOd9htAg5Xg

The AFL have been putting a lot of pressure on the SCG Trust and Gabba to use them. Hope neither of them cave into their demands.

 

[madunit]

The Brisbane AFL team can go and play at the old QEII stadium.

It's barely used for anything except the occasional school athletics carnival.

 

[JJ]

Wow - thought I check in, and can't believe how this has degenerated, BM is special.

Outstanding performance by Aust

Questions though:
1. Surely we know that Johnson isn't actually any good, and that will become evident as the series progresses?
2. Surely Trott isn't as bad as he looked? As above, his record like Johnson's suggests this is an aberration
3. Can Harris stay fit - he is a superb bowler.
4. Will the Poms play Finn? Tremlett way down on pace, Finn at least in helpful conditions can offer what Johnson does.

Going to be a great series, I think!

 

[undertaker]

SCG has been the staunchest ground in the world against drop in wickets and I for one love them for that.

WACA has such a well renowned pitch through history that they would also be very hard to convince to adopt drop in wickets. The picthes at WACA and the SCG are iconic and part of the grounds character.

Adelaide was always a road and the MCG used to be pretty even, but its now more of a batsmens pitch courtesy of the drop-ins being made with little relevance to the ground itself. At least in Adelaide they've made some effort to try and make the drop in as close to replicating an actual traditional Adelaide oval wicket.

I do miss the days when the SCG was a rank turner. I mean, have a look at how much spin part-time finger-spinners like Carl Hooper got (go to 1:28):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bJ5Kh9HjB4

Also, in the '85 Australia/Windies test at the SCG, left-arm finger spinner Ray Bright got the ball to turn very sharply as well.

And yes, although the WACA is still the fastest pitch in the world, nothing like what it was back in the '90s. Remember Chris Cairns sconning Gary Kirsten in the helmet off a slightly shorter than good length delivery.

 

[madunit]

I don't think any of England's bowlers will be overly happy with their bowling in both innings. Anderson's first innings bowling was brilliant, his second was nowhere near as good in comparison.

Broad was dangerous, if a little expensive and offers a great first change option.

Tremlett was just average.

I wouldn't be surprised if Tremlett is dropped, or a batsmen is dropped & Finn comes into the attack (just for Adelaide) and if Tremlett doesn't improve, he'll be dropped for the last 2 tests

 

[madunit]

I do miss the days when the SCG was a rank turner. I mean, have a look at how much spin part-time finger-spinners like Carl Hooper got (go to 1:28):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bJ5Kh9HjB4

Also, in the '85 Australia/Windies test at the SCG, left-arm finger spinner Ray Bright got the ball to turn very sharply as well.

And yes, although the WACA is still the fastest pitch in the world, nothing like what it was back in the '90s. Remember Chris Cairns sconning Gary Kirsten in the helmet off a slightly shorter than good length delivery.

that WACA pitch in the 80's and 90's made Steve Waugh look as fast as any opening bowler at the time lol.

Perth has had some great weather recently over there which is condusive to making a great fast juicy wicket. Given the success Johnson had at the GABBA, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the WACA Ground staff try and make the WACA as fast and as bouncy as they can to help out Mitch (and make life difficult for Swann)

 

[jargan83]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/cricket/20003241/brisbane-bounce-a-triumph-for-tradition/

The return of the Gabba's traditional bounce has vindicated curator Kevin Mitchell's long fight to resist the drop-in pitches urged by football tenant Brisbane Lions.

While there was limited swing and seam movement during the first Test, the bounce was the standout factor in the demise of England's top order, as well as several key Australian batsmen.

Mitchell is confident natural pitches will be retained at the Gabba, but he is wary that influential former Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews, who urged the introduction of temporary pitches a decade ago, has returned to the Lions board.

"I think we have got things squared away," Mitchell said.

"We only play one game of footy now and there are no curtain raisers any more, so we are well under the minimum standards that the AFL requires."

Mitchell said it was essential for Australian and world cricket that each ground was allowed to retain its own characteristics.

Only three regular Australian Test venues have natural pitches.

"There are not many of us left," he said. "It is important to keep them in place.

"Drop-ins are good in places where there is a lot of traffic over winter because the technology is not yet there to maintain the insitu wickets."

The Gabba is renowned as a superb batting surface, but it offers bounce and significant movement depending on the overhead conditions and grass level.

The WACA Ground is also fast and exceptionally bouncy, though new curator Matt Page has only just replaced the sacked Cam Sutherland and appears to have focused on producing better batting surfaces.

The second Ashes Test will be played on a drop-in pitch at Adelaide Oval which has been introduced because at least 20 AFL matches will be played at the redeveloped ground next year.

"The oval will be the MCG of South Australia and they are going to have a lot of events there for the money they have shelled out for the stadium," Mitchell said.
Matthews and Brisbane veteran Jonathan Brown spoke out this year to urge the introduction of drop-in pitches at the Gabba.

"For safety, Kev Mitchell does his best to soften the pitch for the AFL," Matthews said.

"But you either make it really slippery or really hard.

"Clearly it is not good to play footy on."

If the fumbleballers don't like the Gabba they are more then welcome to go find another ground or get the AFL to build them one

 

[Mr Angry]

A) This is about Adelaide. So using "VFL" as an insult is more stupid than usual.

Listen up farktard, it is Victorian Football
Because morons like you and every Victorian call it Australian football, does not make it so.
No suprise the SCG and Gabba are resisting the Victorians attempts to ruin thier cricket grounds.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl...r-world-cup-snub/story-e6frf3e3-1226688361569

Farkhead.

 

[El Diablo]

where is Bunniesmong to tell these groundsmen that they are wrong and drop ins have nothing to do with the AFL?

it's time for him to declare and leave

 

[gUt]

Regardless of the turf war (hohoho) around VFL v cricket on cricket grounds, I have it on good authority that the Gabba physically cannot have drop in pitches. There is no gap between the grandstands large enough to allow the huge drop-in pitches onto the playing surface. They are apparently the size of the wicket squares you see, times 5 feet deep, and have to be transported and laid like a giant pizza.

The only way it'll happen at the Gabba is if they knock a grandstand down or they're looking at using huge cranes to life it over the grandstands. SO yeah, not very likely to happen.

 

[hineyrulz]

While ever Mitchell is in charge at the Gabba I doubt we will see a derp in wicket.

If the fumbleballers don't like it they can piss of and build their own stadium to derp it up on.

It's a disgrace what they have turned the Adelaide into, and so far the AFL haven't put in a red cent. They can ruin cricket grounds and not have to spend a dime. f**king merkins.

 

[gUt]

Actually if the VFL and its weird cultist followers know that the Gabba can't physically accommodate derping pitches then it means all the whinging about it is just one more way those merkins get their names in the paper while proper sports are having their turn with the ground

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Wow - thought I check in, and can't believe how this has degenerated, BM is special.

Outstanding performance by Aust

Questions though:
1. Surely we know that Johnson isn't actually any good, and that will become evident as the series progresses?
2. Surely Trott isn't as bad as he looked? As above, his record like Johnson's suggests this is an aberration
3. Can Harris stay fit - he is a superb bowler.
4. Will the Poms play Finn? Tremlett way down on pace, Finn at least in helpful conditions can offer what Johnson does.

Going to be a great series, I think!

It should be more competitive than Bangladesh vs New Zealand :lol: