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[Cricket] The Ashes - England v Australia - 4th Test, Old Trafford, July 19-23, 2023
- Thread starter Titanic
- Start date
On the other hand, Old Trafford generally has the best cricket pitch out of any of the test grounds in the country.
And it has a real ale tent.
This was the first draw at Old Trafford since 2013 (when England were the team who were happier it was raining).
Team records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com
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- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,892
Old Trafford is a famous old ground and the scene of some memorable cricket. It is also the second oldest appointed in England.
Sydney in Australia isn't far behind Old Trafford for days washed out. Australians have been calling for the New Year Test to be removed from there, when it doesn't suit them.
Nobody was calling for Cardiff to lose it's status after 2009. There may be a reason for that.
If you play cricket in England it might rain.
If you play in Manchester it WILL rain
Off the top of my head, in test matches since I've been watching, they've introduced or changed:Rarely at test level IMO. Unless yourself and @Sid and the Sharknados know otherwise. I like the idea re breaks.
Re playing later - It’s hardly about playing on demand though is it, particularly if it is clear to everyone in advance. Lose an hour, play an hour later up to 3 hours (9.30pm - 10pm).
It doesn’t seem that daft to me
Day/night tests.
Playing under floodlights (which has drastically increased the amount of play we get, and the amount of play in bowling friendly conditions).
DRS (largely effective after some initial teething problems).
4 day tests (for some countries)
There'll be some very boring and/or technical rule changes on top of that.
Quite right. The players will be well up for it. Send them back home deflated and knowing they have been outclassed and only hold the urn thanks to the weather. It will be a bit of a hollow 'win' for them.
nwgull
Well-known member
Absolutely. All this stuff about Australia ‘retaining’ the ashes is just a load of ceremonial bollocks. This is a test series that we have a very realistic chance of drawing 2-2, and if that happens we can consider ourselves to have had the upper hand over the 5 games.
Do you think the Aussie team will just put their feet up now that the weather has meant that we can’t actually beat them? Absolutely not - they’ll want to try and win the series. We beat Palace last time out, but i guarantee that if we were to give up a 2-0 half-time lead and draw 2-2, none of us would take the fact that we’d retained bragging rights as any sort of consolation.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,892
Yet since 2000 there have been 19 Tests there and only 4 draws.
This is the first draw in 9 Tests. The previous one being a rain affected draw that worked in England's favour against... Australia
Nevertheless I think Manchester should lose tests from now on…,,,
Actually seriously haven’t the north of England lost their tests next time
Weststander
Well-known member
I screen shot this at close of play Friday, a smug Marsh and Labuschagne imho looking like “job done”. Knowing the weekend was a near certain wash out. On Saturday Ponting and friends arrived early at Hoylake, having abandoned any idea of viewing cricket.
Outclassed, saved by almost 40% of the event lost.
Outclassed, saved by almost 40% of the event lost.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,892
For the next Ashes, yes. Some of us may not even live to see another Ashes Test at Leeds or Manchester. Shame really. Both have produced some splendid games.
No test at Headingley next year.
And Chester-le-Street is (apparently permanently) banned from hosting tests, despite being fit to.
Feels like getting dicked by a Sean Dyche team. Australia turned up this week to shithouse a draw and we let them get away with it. Grr.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,892
I'm not sure why that is. Most of it has been late spring against nations that aren't as much of a draw. Sophia Gardens seems to have had a bad deal as well.
One has to applaud the ECB for not even bothering to ask to borrow the urn for a few years, safe in the knowledge its grim up north and not fit for cricket. What a bunch of cockwombles.
Manchester is great but one of the worst places in the country for sport. The wettest cricket pitch on the planet.
Manchester is great but one of the worst places in the country for sport. The wettest cricket pitch on the planet.
KZNSeagull
Well-known member
Genuinely banned due to Durham's financial issues a few years ago.
As you say, most of the games they got were early season matches against Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. Had one Ashes test in 2013 (which England won, clear evidence we should play there more often).
Meanwhile Hampshire, who somehow managed to weasel out of relegation due to Durham's financial issues (I'd have thought it'd make more sense to promote Kent, or just give Durham a points penalty the next season, but anyway) get one of 3 southern Ashes tests next time.
Have I made it clear how much I hate Hampshire?
As part of the punishment Durham had for needing to be bailed out by the ECB in 2016, they had the right to bid for test matches taken away. On top of relegation and a points deduction the following season (just in case they might actually do well enough to go straight back up).
The debts weren't notably large by the standards of other CCCs, but since Durham didn't have a third party willing to fund it and had to go to the ECB, this apparently required numerous separate punishments to be given out.
Durham relegated in return for ECB bailout, Hampshire stay up
Durham have been relegated from the top flight of the County Championship, with Hampshire staying up in their place, after being hit with a penalty for receiving financial support from the ECB during the 2016 season
www.espncricinfo.com
That the ECB have since jizzed most of their financial reserves up the wall on the Hundred (including payouts to counties to get them to vote for it) is of course an entirely separate issue and doesn't carry any degree of hypocrisy at all.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,892
Well I can see why. Hampshire just sounds so dull in the speaking. The media seems to have invented a 'derby' for Sussex against them which I guess you have no objection to. It's Surrey who I don't like for multiple irrational reasons.Genuinely banned due to Durham's financial issues a few years ago.
As you say, most of the games they got were early season matches against Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. Had one Ashes test in 2013 (which England won, clear evidence we should play there more often).
Meanwhile Hampshire, who somehow managed to weasel out of relegation due to Durham's financial issues (I'd have thought it'd make more sense to promote Kent, or just give Durham a points penalty the next season, but anyway) get one of 3 southern Ashes tests next time.
Have I made it clear how much I hate Hampshire?
Something that occurred to me recently is how little success Middlesex have had in comparison to the esteem they are held in as a county. Take out the Brearley years and the rest of the 80s and there is so little. I wondered why that might be and then it occurred to me that it's possible that they have no actual stake in Lords, just an historical playing arrangement. I wonder if anyone can cast light on that.
