Shoot the groundsman... or just give up on cricket?

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Cricket Girl

Hear hear. This is an awesome Test match, and not just because England are doing well. Both sides, in both Tests, have served up some of the best cricket I've ever seen. Keep it going!

What a bizarre notion. It's one thing to be enjoying the game: one can enjoy cricket between sides on the village green - that's fine... but good cricket.

The larger picture here is quite horrendously depressing: instead of England being dragged up to Australia's level... Australia are slipping not just down to, but below, England's level. It's like watching the WI decline set in once Ambrose retired.... and with Pakistan having long since gone to the dogs, SA folowing suit and India looking less convincing now than they've looked in years... it's like Formula One losing all the leading teams and being left with the likes of Minardi and Sauber!

Enjoy the game, fine... but the larger picture here is awful.

[Mongoose]

Originally Posted by Rachael

The larger picture here is quite horrendously depressing: instead of England being dragged up to Australia's level... Australia are slipping not just down to, but below, England's level ... it's like Formula One losing all the leading teams and being left with the likes of Minardi and Sauber!

Enjoy the game, fine... but the larger picture here is awful.

I don't see this 'death of cricket' thing. There has to be quality in both batting and bowling. It should be a test for both batsmen and bowlers. If you prepared all the pitches in England, Rachael, we'd have the bad old days of trundlers being able to take stackfuls of wickets just by plonking the ball on the seam. Bowlers must also work for their rewards. As I see it, this pitch has given the batsmen a chance to play some shots without fear of the ball either knocking their head off or taking out the base of off stump. But there has also been some reward for bowlers. Aus didn't find much on the first day, but England did on day 2. There is clearly more in it for the spinners than the quicks, but is that a bad thing for cricket? You have to look at the match that has been played on the pitch. So far, this match is a contender for the best test match I've seen.

Well done Steve Rouse. Dont worry mate, the gun is locked away in the shed for another year ...

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Mongoose

we'd have the bad old days of trundlers being able to take stackfuls of wickets just by plonking the ball on the seam. Bowlers must also work for their rewards.

Hear Hear - now 15- 1 Rachael, get the feeling that you are out on a very big limb here. For me this is not Australia "dropping down to" England's level, it is the two best teams slugging it out. Mistakes are being made, pressure exerted. THIS IS CRICKET!!!

If you want something else - go and watch Crown Green Bowling, and stop telling proper Cricket fans what is and isn't Cricket...

[greg]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

If you want something else - go and watch Crown Green Bowling, ...

There is nothing wrong with Corwn Green Bowls.I won 21-10 last night.

[Aussie-Yank]

Just have to say that if test cricket was played like the first test and this one so far, we would have never seen the birth of one day cricket.

After the play of each of the countries first innings you could not pick who would win, although England being in a strong position being 99 runs ahead you knew that Australia where going to come out and fight there way back into the game.

You really need to start changing your anti-depresants if you think that this pitch is bad for test cricket.

[Lemming]

This is easily in my top three test matches that I've seen. It may turn into being the best when England get those two required wickets tomorrow. I think the poll shows the verdict. If every test match in the future is going to be like this then long live test cricket.

[Cricket Girl]

Originally Posted by Rachael

What a bizarre notion. It's one thing to be enjoying the game: one can enjoy cricket between sides on the village green - that's fine... but good cricket.

The larger picture here is quite horrendously depressing: instead of England being dragged up to Australia's level... Australia are slipping not just down to, but below, England's level. It's like watching the WI decline set in once Ambrose retired.... and with Pakistan having long since gone to the dogs, SA folowing suit and India looking less convincing now than they've looked in years... it's like Formula One losing all the leading teams and being left with the likes of Minardi and Sauber!

Enjoy the game, fine... but the larger picture here is awful.

Your original point was that this pitch had nothing in it for the bowlers. Do you still think that? Regardless of whether you think the players have done badly, do you still think the groundsman should be shot for producing a one-sided Test pitch?

[SeanTheSpitfire]

no because we now have a great chance of winning this test

[Alison]

I don't understand why we should be shooting the groundsman or getting depressed over this game, it's been incredibly exciting.

[Alison]

In fact to be blunt there are an awful lot of things far more worth getting depressed over than this cricket match, or any cricket match for that matter!