The Ashes Summer 2017-2018

The Oz players are not troubled on the wicket so the Poms won't be .

       DRAW ...    Smiths fault.

maccamax wrote: The Oz players are not troubled on the wicket so the Poms won't be .        DRAW ...    Smiths fault.

What's he done wrong in your eyes ?

I don't know about the rest of you but I find these score a thousand runs and grind them into the ground type tests to be about as exciting as a dentist visit, luckily my neighbour is painting his house so I could go watch that dry instead.

I'm not sure how they could go about it but we need wickets with more life in them that produce compelling contests instead of these made for channel 9 bore-athons where the commentators switch between banging on about how our current batsmen are the best ever and flogging off rubbish merchendise about how their predecessors were the best ever for the price of a Sydney apartment.

For mine a good test wicket keeps all 4 possible results realistic until sometime into the 4th innings, this and the Melbourne test had at best 2 possible results by about mid way through day 3.

The only thing that might make the cricket interesting, is a directional microphone to pick up the sledges, but the poms are that bad, there is no need to sledge them !

Some people ARE hard to please.

Part of the problem is that the Poms don't have a Test Class bowling attack, and after being down 3-0 they are just going through the motions.

Passing Through wrote: I am sure it will be different in 2 years time over there

Of course it will be different. U Silly old moo.

It's on the other side of the equator and will be full of Pommies.   

maccamax wrote: Passing Through wrote: I am sure it will be different in 2 years time over there Of course it will be different. U Silly old moo. It's on the other side of the equator and will be full of Pommies.

Bad luck for them there is no RSPCA for pommie cricketers. They would have called it off on a bulb test and put them all under a cols shower. First tub in months for some of them

It can only be described as an "anti-spectacle".

Afros wrote: I love test cricket when it's a compelling contest Dr E, hard to enjoy these bore-athon run fests that are won by crushing the opponent with scoreboard pressure and like I said I'm watching the neighbours paint dry, a much more compelling contest then this test is the one here between wet paint and sun! I just wish cricket Australia could move away from using sections of the M1 as drop in test pitches.

JudgeHolden wrote: Afros wrote: I love test cricket when it's a compelling contest Dr E, hard to enjoy these bore-athon run fests that are won by crushing the opponent with scoreboard pressure and like I said I'm watching the neighbours paint dry, a much more compelling contest then this test is the one here between wet paint and sun! I just wish cricket Australia could move away from using sections of the M1 as drop in test pitches. Couldn't agree more. The game is already tilted too far in favour of batsmen- lightning fast outfields and modern bats and defensive pushes are boundaries these days. But our blokes (struggle as they might overseas), can rely on custom built pitches back home. But of course the powers that be (CA, stadiums, TV networks ) want five days. These roads they're serving up make it almost a certainty.

Cricket Australia know that outside of the Ashes the general public show no more then a passing interest in how the test side is going when playing away, the game is really propped up by the Ashes series and now the Big Bash league and also home India series. You've hit the nail on the head with mentioning tv networks, 9 love a test that can stretch into the 5th day although the grounds don't like it it's thought as they usually run day 5 at a loss with the costs and crowds that attend.

I think 4 day tests are the way forward with more overs in a day, Friday to Monday. Day night tests will also be the way forward as it lends itself to in ground and tv spectators better. Also ditching the toss and giving the visiting side the bat or bowl choice would likely encourage home sides to produce more even wickets.

5 days is perfect

That includes today. cricinfo update all records in real time

Passing Through wrote: Joe is Rooted, taken to hospital with severe dehydration, and it is uncertain whether he will resume batting

Is inhuman to make them play in those conditions