Topic: England’s Cricketing Summer 2019 - West Indies/Pakistan & The Ashes

[Sangria]

I remember in the 80s they had 6 Test series and all the grounds got to host one. I know since then we have Durham, Southampton and Cardiff. I know they’re modern grounds and they’ve worked hard to get Test status but still doesn’t feel right when they get the really big series ahead of the old traditional grounds.

Was 1995 and the West Indies the last time we had a 6 Test series against a single country?

1991: 5 v Windies 1 v Sri Lanka
1992: 5 v Pakistan
1993: 6 v Australia
1994: 3 v New Zealand 3 v S Africa
1995: 6 v Windies
1996: 3 v India 3 v Pakistan
1997: 5 v Australia

[Kekule]

Headingley missed out for Cardiff in the last Ashes didn't it? That wasnt a popular decision.

Cardiff have had two.  2009 and 2015

In 2009 Trent Bridge and Old Trafford didn't get a Test Match all summer whilst Cardiff got the 1st Ashes Test and Durham got a match against the West Indies.

In 2015 Cardiff again hosted the 1st Ashes Test whilst Old Trafford missed out that summer completely.  Headingley got a match against New Zealand.

Old Trafford has obviously been refurbished over the last few years, so I don't know if they missed out on one of those occasions because of the work they were doing .

Edit.  I'm not moaning, as I went to both the Cardiff Test matches.

[Crosby Nick]

I agree. I've benefitted by being able to go to the two Ashes tests in Cardiff but it would be much better if the 3 remaining tests of the series were rotated between Headingley, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and Old Trafford.

It’s a tricky one because they’d all soon wonder what the point was is they just got Bangladesh in May but a good mix should be found. Was it last summer that the entire India series didn’t get north of Birmingham (maybe Nottingham). Think Manchester or Leeds should at least always get one of the Major Tests each summer.

I’m sure there’s a suitably convoluted bidding process!

[dudleyred]

Was the bidding process that threatened some counties

They were bidding so much some could have gone bust. Then rain or a three day test they were making a loss

Believe it’s alot more sensible now with guarantees on certain number of matches etc

[Welshred]

Well theres one less test ground to choose from in the next 5 years as Glamorgan agreed to not bid for a test after getting a payment from the ECB to help service their debts last year.

[Frank Becton]

Lord's and The Oval are always going to get test matches as frankly they are the 2 best grounds.

For the Ashes there are then 2 in the north and one in the midlands - all seems fair enough to me.

I suppose the Ireland game could have been hosted at Southampton or Trent Bridge, that would have made sense, maybe as it's a unique game the Irish wanted it at Lord's.

I didn't quite get the comments about the WC final being played somewhere else than Lord's, it was always going to be played there, and on TV the atmosphere seemed okay to me.

[voodoo ray]

Well theres one less test ground to choose from in the next 5 years as Glamorgan agreed to not bid for a test after getting a payment from the ECB to help service their debts last year.

Durham isn't allowed any more tests either as part of their 'rescue package' a few years ago.

[Raid]

I agree. I've benefitted by being able to go to the two Ashes tests in Cardiff but it would be much better if the 3 remaining tests of the series were rotated between Headingley, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and Old Trafford.

Edgbaston should always get one. Firstly, it's in the middle of the country, and secondly, it's almost England's real 'home ground'.

[demain]

Was 1995 and the West Indies the last time we had a 6 Test series against a single country?

1991: 5 v Windies 1 v Sri Lanka
1992: 5 v Pakistan
1993: 6 v Australia
1994: 3 v New Zealand 3 v S Africa
1995: 6 v Windies
1996: 3 v India 3 v Pakistan
1997: 5 v Australia

6, don't forget the thriller at the Oval where Caddick and Tufnell took a bucketload of wickets defending 120 odd.

[cricketrocks]

Lord's and The Oval are always going to get test matches as frankly they are the 2 best grounds.

Perhaps, but they seldom have the best pitches; Old Trafford with it's pace and bounce has usually produced the goods. As has been mentioned, Edgbaston is also a favourite, having produced incredible Tests (often favouring us).

In my opinion, too much emphasis is placed upon 'drama', rather than the quality of the game. If a game is tedious for 4 days and ends with tension on the 5th day, is it better than a 3 or 4 day game that has you hooked all the way through, yet doesn't go the distance? Not for me.

[Frank Becton]

Perhaps, but they seldom have the best pitches; Old Trafford with it's pace and bounce has usually produced the goods. As has been mentioned, Edgbaston is also a favourite, having produced incredible Tests (often favouring us).

In my opinion, too much emphasis is placed upon 'drama', rather than the quality of the game. If a game is tedious for 4 days and ends with tension on the 5th day, is it better than a 3 or 4 day game that has you hooked all the way through, yet doesn't go the distance? Not for me.

Maybe not, but for the test matches there is no getting away from the history, status and structure of the grounds, Lord's and the Oval are just the best 2.

Also whilst I agree about the pitches many would say the surface at Lord's for the WC final was ideal as it offered something for the bowlers and created a very even contest, rather than the flat 'batsman's paradise' we have seen many times lately.

I understand what you mean, however in a 5 game test series I would say it's currently a certainty 2 would be at Lord's and the Oval.

[cricketrocks]

Maybe not, but for the test matches there is no getting away from the history, status and structure of the grounds, Lord's and the Oval are just the best 2.

Also whilst I agree about the pitches many would say the surface at Lord's for the WC final was ideal as it offered something for the bowlers and created a very even contest, rather than the flat 'batsman's paradise' we have seen many times lately.

I understand what you mean, however in a 5 game test series I would say it's currently a certainty 2 would be at Lord's and the Oval.

Yep, that's fair enough.

I understand the point about the Lords pitch for the final, but I like to see batsmen able to trust the the pace and bounce of the ball. If there's pace and bounce in the wicket, edges carry, it helps spinners and there is still room for fluent strokeplay. When a wicket is a bit 'sticky' like Lords, it seems like too much of a leveller - even average bowlers are hard to get away.

I feel the difficulty should come from the skill of the bowler rather than the dubious nature of the surface. This is why I'd like a Dukes ball (or something similar with a proper seam) to be used in ODI cricket; bowlers with good control of the seam will prosper and you don't need the pitch to turn it into a lottery. Sticky wickets can also produce really dour cricket, not that I'm saying the Final wasn't great, but the occasion helped massively.

Ultimately though, I do believe that games are better when the bowlers have a fair shout, I just disagree with the way they went about it.

[Frank Becton]

Yep, that's fair enough.

I understand the point about the Lords pitch for the final, but I like to see batsmen able to trust the the pace and bounce of the ball. If there's pace and bounce in the wicket, edges carry, it helps spinners and there is still room for fluent strokeplay. When a wicket is a bit 'sticky' like Lords, it seems like too much of a leveller - even average bowlers are hard to get away.

I feel the difficulty should come from the skill of the bowler rather than the dubious nature of the surface. This is why I'd like a Dukes ball (or something similar with a proper seam) to be used in ODI cricket; bowlers with good control of the seam will prosper and you don't need the pitch to turn it into a lottery. Sticky wickets can also produce really dour cricket, not that I'm saying the Final wasn't great, but the occasion helped massively.

Ultimately though, I do believe that games are better when the bowlers have a fair shout, I just disagree with the way they went about it.

It was a very green looking pitch for the final, I was surprised how much grass they left on it, and with the slope it was difficult to bat on.

[voodoo ray]

I reckon that pitch was an accident.

[Gerry Attrick]

England women are getting shown who's boss big time by the Aussies. The gulf in class is absolutely gigantic.

[Raid]

It was a very green looking pitch for the final, I was surprised how much grass they left on it, and with the slope it was difficult to bat on.

It was like a Day 1 test match wicket in early summer, it was that green.

To be honest it was similar to a real proper test match. Plenty in it for the bowlers and a real challenge for the batsmen to accumulate their runs.

[Welshred]

I thought it was an enthralling final myself. Sure it wasn't edge on your seat smashing the ball out of the ground stuff but at no point did you know who was going to win, right up to the last ball. When England were taking wickets there was always that thought in the back of your mind of how would their free hitting batsman cope on a wicket that didn't let the ball come onto the bat. Every run was earnt and it led to an incredible ending that we'll never see again. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

[Frank Becton]

England women are getting shown who's boss big time by the Aussies. The gulf in class is absolutely gigantic.

I watched a little of it, like you say totally outclassed, England are okay against the weaker sides where generally the standard is poor. However, Aussies have some good players and they struggle against them, nothing against the women's game but what I saw today the fielding was terrible, and Brunt is the only decent bowler, the spinners were bowling slow full tosses at times 2 feet outside the off stump.

[Raid]

I thought it was an enthralling final myself. Sure it wasn't edge on your seat smashing the ball out of the ground stuff but at no point did you know who was going to win, right up to the last ball. When England were taking wickets there was always that thought in the back of your mind of how would their free hitting batsman cope on a wicket that didn't let the ball come onto the bat. Every run was earnt and it led to an incredible ending that we'll never see again. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I totally agree. Can’t beat a proper contest between bat and ball. One of my main gripes with ODI’s recently has been that it seems to have favoured batting for some time. The World Cup was good to watch in general.

[voodoo ray]

An ending like on Sunday can make any game look good.

[voodoo ray]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAGUttiWwAAuhdv?format=jpg

looks like this is in for this week's game. I'm sure it'll lead to loads of moaning.

[nicholasanthony]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAGUttiWwAAuhdv?format=jpg

looks like this is in for this week's game. I'm sure it'll lead to loads of moaning.

I’m a traditional kinda gal but I gotta say, I don’t mind that.

[Welshred]

Anderson not fit for the Ireland test.

[nicholasanthony]

Anderson not fit for the Ireland test.

I feel like I’ve seen this one before.

[Dull Tools]

Tail look very long in this team.

[voodoo ray]

Names and numbers not until the ashes. So the elderly MCC members have a few weeks more before they keel over in shock.

[Yosser0_0]

Very lucky there Roy - plum LBW but a no ball!

[Yosser0_0]

Roy gone now!!! 8-1 England's opening woes continue.
 

[voodoo ray]

Murtagh averages in the 20s at Lord's in first class cricket. So he's got form.

[Yosser0_0]

Right let's see what England's latest number 3 can do against the new ball.

[El Lobo]

Murtagh averages in the 20s at Lord's in first class cricket. So he's got form.

Could we steal him?

[Welshred]

Roy gone now!!! 8-1 England's opening woes continue.
 

Can you stop with the negativity? You were the same in the world cup. He got a good ball from a bowler who plays for Middlesex and has taken over 200 wickets at 23/24 at Lords. It's one innings, give him a chance.

[Welshred]

Could we steal him?

Not anymore

[Frank Becton]

Opportunity now for Denly to get some runs.

[Welshred]

Great stat from TMS

This is the first time a visiting team has had more first class experience at Lords than the England team.

[IgorBobbins]

Names and numbers not until the ashes. So the elderly MCC members have a few weeks more before they keel over in shock.

I'm not an MCC member, but even I don't see the point in having names and numbers on shirts for test matches.  It'll look weird and I don't understand why they made this change.  Maybe I'm just a soppy traditionalist!

[voodoo ray]

I'm not an MCC member, but even I don't see the point in having names and numbers on shirts for test matches.  It'll look weird and I don't understand why they made this change.  Maybe I'm just a soppy traditionalist!

It's fine. It might help some people work out who's who and a few kids might want a shirt with a player on it.

I'd be more arsed if they wanted larger sponsors on the front.

[Dull Tools]

Names and numbers not until the ashes. So the elderly MCC members have a few weeks more before they keel over in shock.

I don't really get the point in numbers in cricket. The scoreboard tells you who is batting, who is on strike and who the bowler is. Do the fielders really matter?

Its different in football when people are always moving around.

[Yosser0_0]

Can you stop with the negativity? You were the same in the world cup. He got a good ball from a bowler who plays for Middlesex and has taken over 200 wickets at 23/24 at Lords. It's one innings, give him a chance.

Yeah I can see he got a good ball, negativity is a symptom of England loosing yet another early wicket, it's not like I've just rocked up and not seen it all before. My comments were balanced in the World Cup rather than all negative, no idea what your on about to be honest.

[Crosby Nick]

I don't really get the point in numbers in cricket. The scoreboard tells you who is batting, who is on strike and who the bowler is. Do the fielders really matter?

Its different in football when people are always moving around.

It is helpful for seeing who the fielder is when you’re in the ground (I know they flash it up in the scoreboard these days). No harm in it though, gets the old Root 66 going and always good to have a sweepstake in which over confident prick will opt for 69.

Wonder if players have to have the same number as their one day shirt?

They’ve had them in the county game for quite a while I think.