Topic: England v New Zealand Test / ODI / T20 Series

[The 5th Benitle]

I agree.
Sofia Gardens get one because they pay to get one. Then crowds are poor.

[Welshred]

10-fer for Swann in a Headingley test match. Great catch that by Bell!

[Yosser0_0]

Sorry I've been missing in action these last few days - went kayaking down the Thames and missed the place where we were supposed to stop (thought we'd gone a bit too far when I saw the Thames Barrier ).

You were spotted Nick

[Anfield Kopite]

You were spotted Nick

Looks like Fellaini has been breeding.

[Joseph-Immanuel Queen]

Now wrap this up before the heavens open again!

[Crosby Nick]

Ashes test should always be at the historical grounds for me. Lords, Old Trafford, Headingley, Edgebaston and the Oval to finish. Every single time.

Trent Bridge?

That's why they should be 6 Test series!

One of the Ashes tests is in Durham this summer isn't it? Firstly it'll probably be snowing and secondly that just doesn't feel right for an Ashes Test. That said, the Cardiff Test last time round felt the same and that turned out to be a thriller so who knows.

[Yosser0_0]

Reward? A May test v New Zealand and nowt for the Ashes. To which I say 'F*ck off ECB'. I'm sure many of my fellow countrymen will have had the same attitude.

I mentioned it before - they've no floodlights at Headingley!! So they are lucky to get this one.

[Welshred]

Trent Bridge?

That's why they should be 6 Test series!

One of the Ashes tests is in Durham this summer isn't it? Firstly it'll probably be snowing and secondly that just doesn't feel right for an Ashes Test. That said, the Cardiff Test last time round felt the same and that turned out to be a thriller so who knows.

Yeh Trent Bridge or Edgbaston to be fair.

I mentioned it before - they've no floodlights at Headingley!! So they are lucky to get this one.

It's in the planning for the ground. They need the money to do that. To get the money they need to hold test matches. An Ashes test match would give them the biggest amount of money possible to do that.

[Yorkykopite]

How do you allocate tests then? Every side demands a Lord's test - see what happened when they tried to do without for the Windies. Once Lord's has its couple of tests - there are 5 tests left and 8 test grounds to share them: the Oval, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Headingley, Edgbaston, Riverside, Rose Bowl, Sophia Gardens. For a 5 test series - at least one of those first 5 historic grounds will miss out. Of course the Ashes series should be 6 Tests. There is the demand for it, ICC calendar be damned.

There are too many Test grounds and not enough tests.

It ought to be a 6 Test series. I agree with that. I also agree there's a genuine problem about how to divide the spoils. But at the moment it's incontestable that those spoils aren't being divided fairly. Leeds missed out on an Ashes Test in 2005. It got one in 2009. Now it misses out again.

The north, generally, seems to get the thin end of the wedge. If Leeds gets an Ashes Test then Manchester doesn't. That doesn't sit well with Yorkshire and Lancashire fans (we're the real home of cricket after all ) not those ponces at Lords.

If Lords must have two Tests every summer then the Oval should be taken off the automatic rota and forced to join the merry-go-round with the other historic Test grounds.

[nicholasanthony]

6 is too many isn't it?

[Yorkykopite]

Mind you I think Scarborough should have Test cricket too.

And maybe Bramall Lane like in the old days.

[Yosser0_0]

It's in the planning for the ground. They need the money to do that. To get the money they need to hold test matches. An Ashes test match would give them the biggest amount of money possible to do that.

The point is that when the decision is made and they look at the facilities for each ground, it will obviously go against them. The same thing happened to Old Trafford when they had to update the ground before they would be awarded another test match. The counties have ended up having to foot the bill themselves which is why the likes of Lancs/ Yorkshire have ended up with huge debts.

[Sangria]

It ought to be a 6 Test series. I agree with that. I also agree there's a genuine problem about how to divide the spoils. But at the moment it's incontestable that those spoils aren't being divided fairly. Leeds missed out on an Ashes Test in 2005. It got one in 2009. Now it misses out again.

The north, generally, seems to get the thin end of the wedge. If Leeds gets an Ashes Test then Manchester doesn't. That doesn't sit well with Yorkshire and Lancashire fans (we're the real home of cricket after all ) not those ponces at Lords.

If Lords must have two Tests every summer then the Oval should be taken off the automatic rota and forced to join the merry-go-round with the other historic Test grounds.

If we're talking about historic grounds hosting the Ashes, there are none more historic than The Oval.

[Crosby Nick]

Mind you I think Scarborough should have Test cricket too.

And maybe Bramall Lane like in the old days.

Given Lancashire's record there recently Aigburth should be a dead cert!

I can see both sides of the argument. Huge money has been invested in the Rose Bowl (in particular), Durham and Cardiff. They are decent Test venues and if they were continually fobbed off with May Tests against whipping boys that are either rain affected or over in 3 days then they'd wonder why it was worth it.

On the flip side, the 'traditional' Test grounds have all been hugely redevloped in recent years (maybe apart from Edgbaston?) and they think they deserve the big games too.

How does the bidding process work these days? Is it a case of them going to the highest bidder?

[Welshred]

The point is that when the decision is made and they look at the facilities for each ground, it will obviously go against them. The same thing happened to Old Trafford when they had to update the ground before they would be awarded another test match. The counties have ended up having to foot the bill themselves which is why the likes of Lancs/ Yorkshire have ended up with huge debts.

Glamorgan nearly bankrupted themselves to hold that Ashes test match.

[SP]

Headingley did not apply for an Ashes test.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/9395238.stm

[Welshred]

These two are making Trott's innings the other day look positively cavalier!!

[SP]

6 is too many isn't it?

Only if you are a pain averse Aussie. It's your turn for a 6 test burn. I survived the 90s now it's your go.

[Yorkykopite]

Headingley did not apply for an Ashes test.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/9395238.stm

Because the money being asked is utterly absurd.

[Yosser0_0]

The north, generally, seems to get the thin end of the wedge. If Leeds gets an Ashes Test then Manchester doesn't. That doesn't sit well with Yorkshire and Lancashire fans (we're the real home of cricket after all ) not those ponces at Lords.

Its always been that way though hasn't it Yorkie? Do you think there is an element of the Northern crowds being considered riff raff? I've been to some pretty rowdy Test Matches at Old Trafford and it has resulted in no longer being able to take alcohol into the ground anymore - for any game, whereas it is still allowed at Lords. Ok it is a self imposed ban by LCCC but it still infers a North/South divide in terms of how they expect the crowd to behave.

[Yosser0_0]

Glamorgan nearly bankrupted themselves to hold that Ashes test match.

Did they get any Welsh office money/grants do you know about?

[Welshred]

Jimmy equals Fred Trueman's wicket taking haul and wins the game for England.

[Joseph-Immanuel Queen]

Bowled Jimmy.

[Titan]

England win. Anderson takes the final wicket.

[Welshred]

Did they get any Welsh office money/grants do you know about?

Not too sure but I know they had to turn back a couple of internationals last year because they couldn't afford to run them.

[nicholasanthony]

Only if you are a pain averse Aussie. It's your turn for a 6 test burn. I survived the 90s now it's your go.

You're nowhere near where we were. I don't fear your lot at all.

[Yorkykopite]

Its always been that way though hasn't it Yorkie? Do you think there is an element as the Northern crowds being considered riff raff? I've been to some pretty rowdy Test Matches at Old Trafford and it has resulted in no longer being able to take alcohol into the ground anymore - for any game, whereas it is still allowed at Lords. Ok it is a self imposed ban by LCCC but it still infers a North/South divide in terms of how they expect the crowd to behave.

There is some of that. It's a bit like footy. The authorities want a completely middle-class game - something much easier to achieve in the south than the north. On tour, of course, it's a different matter. The Home Counties set tend not to travel.

The booze thing is about forcing you to drink at the bars inside the ground - which are obviously more expensive. The Oval does this too. I think it's only Lords that allows you to take liquor in.

[voodoo ray]

Nice of them to wait until I got home to finish the match. Also for Anderson to go level with Trueman at Headingley.

Lord's is obviously always going to get 2 matches per "summer" as the overseas sides are always going to want to play there. There's possibly some merit in going to a rotational policy for the other games so counties know when they're getting a Test and can plan accordingly, but it's all way above my pay grade anyway.

[SP]

You're nowhere near where we were. I don't fear your lot at all.

But you are very close to where we were...

[Welshred]

You're nowhere near where we were. I don't fear your lot at all.

Immortalised for the summer in my sig!

[SP]

Headingley is guaranteed a Test every year until 2019. They are in a stronger position than many of the other grounds.

[ABJ]

There is some of that. It's a bit like footy. The authorities want a completely middle-class game - something much easier to achieve in the south than the north. On tour, of course, it's a different matter. The Home Counties set tend not to travel.

The booze thing is about forcing you to drink at the bars inside the ground - which are obviously more expensive. The Oval does this too. I think it's only Lords that allows you to take liquor in.

Correct, It is the only ground that you can take it in with you although only up to 4 pints.

[nicholasanthony]

But you are very close to where we were...

[JohnHobbes]

Well done to Jimmy and England for the win, great bowling by Swann. A little close run thing with the weather but a series win is always great with games to spare.

[SP]

Correct, It is the only ground that you can take it in with you although only up to 4 pints.

2 pints per person, or a bottle of wine.

[nicholasanthony]

Immortalised for the summer in my sig!

Fine by me. Listening to Beefy talking you'd think your lot were the best team in the world.

[Crosby Nick]

There is some of that. It's a bit like footy. The authorities want a completely middle-class game - something much easier to achieve in the south than the north. On tour, of course, it's a different matter. The Home Counties set tend not to travel.

There was always something quite amusing about half the crowd at Old Trafford singing "Stand up if you hate Man U" just a few hundred yards down the road from their ground whilst watching a completely different sport!

It's not like the northern grounds are less knowledgabl;e or dedicated either - you only have to witness the numbers turned away at Old Trafford in 2005 to know that. Guess we're just more easily distracted/naturally more lairy up here!

Lord's is an incredible experience and one of my favourite places to watch cricket but it was a culture shock heading to my first Test there and not getting even a hint of a drunken song until about an hour after lunch.

Oh, and well done Jimmy and England!

[ABJ]

2 pints per person, or a bottle of wine.

They can't be that strict as I always take 4 in with me.

[Crosby Nick]

They can't be that strict as I always take 4 in with me.

You're being unfair if you expect them to start doing full body cavity searches.

[SP]

They can't be that strict as I always take 4 in with me.

The whole security check for the first test appeared to be counting cans.