[Cricket] The Ashes - England v Australia - 4th Test, Old Trafford, July 19-23, 2023

[Triggaaar]

Looking forward to all the posts saying how great test cricket is, and how anyone who thinks otherwise if a fool

 

[PeterT]

Looking forward to all the posts saying how great test cricket is, and how anyone who thinks otherwise if a fool

It’s an empty life if you have nothing to look forward to

 

[Weststander]

MetOffice now saying today’s dry from say 12:30pm.

If that pans out, will the outfield etc be deemed safe for play?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

MetOffice now saying today’s dry from say 12:30pm.

If that pans out, will the outfield etc be deemed safe for play?

They seem hopeful on Five Live Sports Extra.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

This morning’s view …..

View attachment 163909

I don’t see how they could play cricket there even if it wasn’t raining.

 

[Bodian]

MetOffice now saying today’s dry from say 12:30pm.

If that pans out, will the outfield etc be deemed safe for play?

And tomorrow now looks far worse. So, hopefully a couple of hours today. Going to be a tall ask to get six wickets - making the playing on after lunch yesterday looking less advisable. If they'd been 7 or 8 down it might have been a different story.

 

[Is it PotG?]

 

[Titanic]

And tomorrow now looks far worse. So, hopefully a couple of hours today. Going to be a tall ask to get six wickets - making the playing on after lunch yesterday looking less advisable. If they'd been 7 or 8 down it might have been a different story.

It's hard to judge that.. with a smaller deficit the Aussies may well have batted differently, with different results. Who knows?

 

[PeterT]

And tomorrow now looks far worse. So, hopefully a couple of hours today. Going to be a tall ask to get six wickets - making the playing on after lunch yesterday looking less advisable. If they'd been 7 or 8 down it might have been a different story.

I thought we might even have got level and then declared. If we don’t bowl them out, or have time to do that, getting nearly 600 ends up being pointless.

 

[The Wizard]

MetOffice now saying today’s dry from say 12:30pm.

If that pans out, will the outfield etc be deemed safe for play?

Old Trafford drains really badly from memory doesn’t it? I’m sure I remember there being pools and pools of water on it in one summer recently

Tomorrow there will definitely be dry spells, I’ve used accuweather for years + their ‘minutecast’ and always found them very reliable, much more so than BBC when it comes to changeable weather, BBC just seem to hedge their bets, rain sun and a cloud.. that’s helpful.

I reckon they will get at least 30/40 overs in tomorrow, relies on luck obviously as it’s a showery scenario tomorrow.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It's hard to judge that.. with a smaller deficit the Aussies may well have batted differently, with different results. Who knows?

Indeed. I think this weekend’s forecast has actually influenced every phase of the tactics in this match right back to the toss. The beauty of test cricket @Triggaaar , Like a game of outdoor chess for the captains (especially) and the approach of the players.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I've got a (for me) quite sizeable bet on the draw as 'disappointment insurance'. £50 at 5/2 placed when I looked at the weather forecast on Tuesday.

If England win I'll be absolutely delighted, if it's a draw I can cheer myself up with a gluttonous quantity of seafood and fine wine.

Odds on I get a dodgy oyster and end up sick as a dog after being sick as a parrot.

 

[banjo]

Old Trafford (Greater Manchester) weather

Old Trafford 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

www.metoffice.gov.uk

Small chance of play today.

 

[A1X]

 

[seagullwedgee]

Reverse swing is completely removed as a weapon if the ball is not kept absolutely bone dry.

 

[Triggaaar]

Indeed. I think this weekend’s forecast has actually influenced every phase of the tactics in this match right back to the toss. The beauty of test cricket @Triggaaar , Like a game of outdoor chess for the captains (especially) and the approach of the players.

You say 'beauty' and 'chess', but if the weather is as predicted, it won't have made a difference who won the toss, how well one team played, or how badly the other team played - regardless of all 'chess' like thinking, and regardless of all sporting prowess, the result will be a draw as determined by weather. It's stupid.

 

[Is it PotG?]

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

You say 'beauty' and 'chess', but if the weather is as predicted, it won't have made a difference who won the toss, how well one team played, or how badly the other team played - regardless of all 'chess' like thinking, and regardless of all sporting prowess, the result will be a draw as determined by weather. It's stupid.

No different to 1 day matches TBF. One of my kids went to the Roses T20 match at OT a few weeks ago with a group of friends. Spent some time in the bar dodging the showers then gave up. The match was abandoned without a ball bowled.

 

[Bozza]

Odds on the draw continuing to drift on Betfair, with an England win slowly coming the other way.

Currently 60% draw, 40% England.

 

[Triggaaar]

No different to 1 day matches TBF. One of my kids went to the Roses T20 match at OT a few weeks ago with a group of friends. Spent some time in the bar dodging the showers then gave up. The match was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Yes, although with a 1 day match you only lose 1 day. Here we've had the best part of 3 days play, everyone is still hanging on for another 2 days (the players can't leave), so 5 days can be wasted, and the winner of the ashes determined. It's completely mindless. There's an easy solution - 5 day matches could have a 6th day available such that a minimum of 360 overs (4 days play) is played, and if a team can't win in that time, then the other team has earned a draw.

What decent sports just call it a draw because of the weather? Things like tennis and golf return the next day, football matches get postponed if necessary.