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

[Pevenseagull]

They really need to crack down on slow over rates, both sides have been guilty. We may not be discussing the weather at all if the overs had actually been bowled. If not start all tests at 10am and let them get through the overs as slowly as they want until they have been bowled.

Yep. 180 overs were completed after 12.30 on Day 3

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Travel arrangements for fans getting home is one issue . Not saying it’s a good enough reason to spoil a whole ashes series

Every other sport seems to manage with an end time not set in stone, just seems no one in charge wants it to change and happy to shrug their shoulders.

Slow over rates just kill the game and are not really punished

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

But if you advertise in advance (for all test matches), that close of play could be extended to cover lost play…… curfew at say 10pm, fans would have the chance to make contingency arrangements.

I know in cricketing terms any change to tradition is radical, but perhaps that’s what is required.

Weirdly, despite cricket's reputation for being against any and all change, it's changed as much if not more over the years than most sports.
In Australia they extend play by starting earlier. Not an option today because the amount of rain overnight meant the ground wasn't fit for play, but there's no good reason not to do it in England.
They should extend play into the breaks if they don't get the overs in during the session, if the players end up only getting 5min for lunch they'll soon speed up (an idea I've shamlessly ripped off from Mark Butcher on the Wisden podcast).

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Watching the 2005 highlights with Sky's commentary on it is like having a garden rake dragged over my brain.

 

[knocky1]

It's been a great comeback by Bairstow whatever the outcome.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

But if you advertise in advance (for all test matches), that close of play could be extended to cover lost play…… curfew at say 10pm, fans would have the chance to make contingency arrangements.

I know in cricketing terms any change to tradition is radical, but perhaps that’s what is required.

Have you ever noticed the reaction of football fans when match playing times are changed. Whole new football clubs have been set up because of it and NSC goes into meltdown. Blaming cricket’s traditions for not having a system of being prepared to play on demand is a bit daft. And as Sid mentioned above cricket has changed a hell of a lot. Being unprepared to innovate is something you cannot level at the cricket authorities.

 

[Luke93]

Maybe there’s mitigation in this case but usually there is too much time between the pitch being inspected and play restarting . Sometimes enough time for it to start raining again.

Test Cricket is stuck in its ways , clinging to its unefficient processes

Cricket certainly doesn’t help itself. Can’t start in light rain but can keep playing in light rain for example.

But in todays case there’s no chance the pitch would’ve been fit for play at 11. The groundsman obviously can’t start the clearing process until the rain has stopped, to even get to the stage where the umpires can give a proper inspection. It’s also unfair for any batsman to be ‘ready’ at the drop of the hat. In the unlikely scenario conditions suddenly change and becomes immediately playable you can’t just say to batsman and bowlers you’re on right now.

Why more overs were not bowled when conditions were better is another debate however. This weather was not a surprise.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Watching the 2005 highlights with Sky's commentary on it is like having a garden rake dragged over my brain.

Also, given all the moaning that followed about Gary Pratt running out Ponting, Hodge seems to have been on the field an awful lot.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Cricket certainly doesn’t help itself. Can’t start in light rain but can keep playing in light rain for example.

This.


Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
We have more news...
The pitch inspection will be at 12:15 BST. The players are then going to take lunch at 12:20 so we won't have played before 13:00.

 

[pasty]

Inspection 12:15

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

This.


Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
We have more news...
The pitch inspection will be at 12:15 BST. The players are then going to take lunch at 12:20 so we won't have played before 13:00.

If it's only just stopped raining there's no way the ground will be fit for play much before 1pm anyway

 

[Lenny Rider]

What‘s the latest they can play till this evening?

 

[Eeyore]

What‘s the latest they can play till this evening?

19.30

Looking at the forecast they may not get on at all. The longest dry period is about an hour mid-afternoon.

It's over. The Skippys have got away with it.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

This.


Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
We have more news...
The pitch inspection will be at 12:15 BST. The players are then going to take lunch at 12:20 so we won't have played before 13:00.

Ian Ward has just said the wicket hasn’t been prepared because it’s been under the cover. Needs to be cut and prepared same as any other day.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

This.


Matthew Henry
BBC Sport at Old Trafford
We have more news...
The pitch inspection will be at 12:15 BST. The players are then going to take lunch at 12:20 so we won't have played before 13:00.

I do enjoy test cricket but the traditions to the rules really do put the sport back so many years.
Yes it is a sport that is weather dependent but surely with today's weather forecasting we can set up a day's play around the weather? Why take lunch now? We have been delayed until lunch time, get the players out there, play a min/max amount of overs until a certain time if possible and extend tea to 30/40 mins.
Today's weather forecasting can easily make allowances to a 5 day test as well. If weather is predicted to be great on day 1-3 but bad for 4 and 5, why not add some more time onto days 1-3 and then reduce minimum overs on 4-5 in case forecast improves.

 

[Jim in the West]

It is really quite pathetic how no allowance is made for an extra day - given we only have an Ashes series every four years. We now have to wait until 2027 before we have the opportunity to watch this amazing contest again. It's bizarre how the authorities can allow an extra day for the World Test Championship (which is pretty meaningless, tbh) yet not do the same for the oldest and most important rivalry in Test cricket.

What makes it worse is that this series has been shoe-horned into a a few weeks, to accommodate The Hundred, which is the most complete and utter waste of time.

It's rather like FIFA deciding to reduce the World Cup to a couple of weeks so they can fit in some concocted friendlies in Saudi or the US.

 

[pasty]

Play due to start at 1 o’clock

 

[SweatyMexican]

Started raining again.

So frustrating.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I'd love to know how many people now raging against the laws and regulations around time lost to rain have the same attitude when it's England desperately hanging on for a draw.

 

[Driver8]

I’m about 50 miles due west of Manchester and it’s absolutely pissing down. If this is headed their way that’ll be it I would think.