Ashes - 4th Test

TeaCider said:
Would need to be an absolutely massive retractable roof, high enough that shots don't hit it, so probably down to cost.

If it was permanently closed, you can't have grass.
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I was under the impression that shots in cricket didn't exactly go high (like in baseball), but instead went far?

Would say, the Millennium Stadium be a suitable venue? Instead of grass could cricket not be played on an artificial pitch?
 
Having a nice, sunny, shorts-wearing, rain-free day in SW London. Pity they couldnt swich to the Oval to finish this one behind closed doors.
 
Juninhoburger said:
I was under the impression that shots in cricket didn't exactly go high (like in baseball), but instead went far?

Would say, the Millennium Stadium be a suitable venue? Instead of grass could cricket not be played on an artificial pitch?
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You have heard about 6’s being knocked out of the stadium? This isn’t because the ground is small.
 
Juninhoburger said:
I was under the impression that shots in cricket didn't exactly go high (like in baseball), but instead went far?

Would say, the Millennium Stadium be a suitable venue? Instead of grass could cricket not be played on an artificial pitch?
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I saw Livingstone put a 6 over the rugby stand at Headingley, that went rather high.
 
Finally declared.

Not sure whether it'll be more or less frustrating if England win the final test now.
 
I hope this test has shown some learning in terms of judiciously applied Baz Ball.

If so, the future is bright.
 
Heine_Otto said:
So if it had rained on the last day of the second test instead of the last day of this test we’d be 2-1 up?

What a nonsense sport
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No different to golf, the weather conditions are part of the sport.

England had enough time to skittle them yesterday and couldn’t deliver. Given the weather expected, Australia batted well to keep them out and rode their luck with the weather.

Not saying that means they deserved the draw but just that they used the weather to their advantage. England arguably should have declared earlier. Ironic, given the criticism of the first innings declaration at Edgbaston.

In truth England have got a few things wrong in this series (the repeated selection of Anderson being just one) but we don’t deserve to lose it. The fifth test is not a “damp squib” and a 2-2 draw would be much better than a 3-1 defeat. In any other test series that would be how it is unanimously viewed but for some reason against Australia people seem to get all sensitive about who “keeps the urn” when it’s common knowledge there’s feck all inside it, or whatever it is inside isn’t actually the mythical burnt bail.

Test series against Australia are special because it is historically the greatest rivalry in cricket, perhaps in any sport altogether, and drawing it is far better than losing it. B0ll0x to the little urn. We have a chance at the Oval to prove we are better than them, at least in English conditions. We should have won this one and at least one of the first two, and we have to prove that at the Oval.

Really hope they don’t select Jimmy for the “send off” when we really need to win it. He’s had a great career but there’s no room for sentiment, let him play in an ODI against Ireland or something, but the bloke is my age, it’s no wonder he can’t cut it anymore. He pushed it one summer too far purely because it was Australia and he had Warne’s wicket total in sight, but it’s been proven that he is too old now in my opinion.
 
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atypical_boro said:
No different to golf, the weather conditions are part of the sport.

England had enough time to skittle them yesterday and couldn’t deliver. Given the weather expected, Australia batted well to keep them out and rode their luck with the weather.

Not saying that means they deserved the draw but just that they used the weather to their advantage. England arguably should have declared earlier. Ironic, given the criticism of the first innings declaration at Edgbaston.

In truth England have got a few things wrong in this series (the repeated selection of Anderson being just one) but we don’t deserve to lose it. The fifth test is not a “damp squib” and a 2-2 draw would be much better than a 3-1 defeat. In any other test series that would be how it is unanimously viewed but for some reason against Australia people seem to get all sensitive about who “keeps the urn” when it’s common knowledge there’s feck all inside it, or whatever it is inside isn’t actually the mythical burnt bail.

Test series against Australia are special because it is historically the greatest rivalry in cricket, perhaps in any sport altogether, and drawing it is far better than losing it. B0ll0x to the little urn. We have a chance at the Oval to prove we are better than them, at least in English conditions. We should have won this one and at least one of the first two, and we have to prove that at the Oval.

Really hope they don’t select Jimmy for the “send off” when we really need to win it. He’s had a great career but there’s no room for sentiment, let him play in an ODI against Ireland or something, but the bloke is my age, it’s no wonder he can’t cut it anymore. He pushed it one summer too far purely because it was Australia and he had Warne’s wicket total in sight, but it’s been proven that he is too old now in my opinion.
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‘No different to golf’ you say.

I must have imagined watching the Open yesterday then
 
Heine_Otto said:
‘No different to golf’ you say.

I must have imagined watching the Open yesterday then
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Ok, I didn't mean there is *literally no difference between cricket and golf*. I said the weather conditions are part of the sport. England knew the rain was coming but didn't declare earlier. The sport is all about risk.
 
atypical_boro said:
Ok, I didn't mean there is *literally no difference between cricket and golf*. I said the weather conditions are part of the sport. England knew the rain was coming but didn't declare earlier. The sport is all about risk.
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To be fair I read that they expected some sessions yesterday. They didn’t expect a completed washout
 
Lets at least keep the unbeaten run going at the oval and make it 23 years since they won a series here
 
jam69 said:
Lets at least keep the unbeaten run going at the oval and make it 23 years since they won a series here
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Fully agree. 2-2 would feel like a reasonably fair outcome to the series, and extend that winless run to 26 years (2001-2027).

Shame they keep annihilating us down under of course, except in 2011.
 
It's something that needs fixing in cricket, not just accepted as part of the sport.

Test cricket already struggles to stay relevant without the constant frustration of matches being spoiled by rain and poor contingency rules.
 
TeaCider said:
It's something that needs fixing in cricket, not just accepted as part of the sport.

Test cricket already struggles to stay relevant without the constant frustration of matches being spoiled by rain and poor contingency rules.
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How can you 'fix' it though? If you make it so that there has to be 450 overs available in every test match, there's going to be a lot of 'contingency' in this country in particular. It would also totally change the way the game is played.
 
atypical_boro said:
How can you 'fix' it though? If you make it so that there has to be 360 overs available in every test match, there's going to be a lot of 'contingency' in this country in particular.
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Reserve days, earlier starts, changing the ludicrous rules around Lunch and Tea, playing extra overs if light allows and the forecast for the days ahead include rain, etc etc.

Plenty of ways to ensure that cricket can actually be played, rather than just pretending it's all out of our hands.

It's absolutely fine in Manchester today, if it had been designated as a reserve day, you'd get a full day of cricket without problem and a result would have been found whichever way it went.
 
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