England and the Spirit of the Game

[Bucking Beads]

England often like to talk up the spirit of the game but they love Doctoring wickets..

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...ated-australians/story-fnia3gmj-1227490253295

ENGLAND stands accused of jeopardising the spirit of international cricket, with the Australian team left seething over the extremity of the pitch the ECB has doctored for the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Could cost us the series this Test.

For real though, after all the shortened Tests this series I'd imagine the ECB would be desperate for a 5 day Test match.

 

[STFU Donnie]

Both teams play on the same pitch. Isn't Australia supposed to have a decent pace attack? Must be the only fast bowlers who hate a greentop!

 

[LukeParkerno1]

How about our useless batsmen dig in for once. The pitches were not that bad! Root made a ton last test!

 

[Bucking Beads]

Oh god. Of course our batsmen have been completely useless. That doesn't change the fact they are doctoring wickets just like they did in the last 2 series over there. * me!

 

[ricardogp]

I think the batsmen are the problem. Just can't play swinging / seaming conditions. The complaints for the first two pitches were they were too slow (although Australia dominated at Lords), and then when they got grassy pitches they complained again!

I thought the poms had the reputation for whinging...

 

[Bucking Beads]

I think the batsmen are the problem. Just can't play swinging / seaming conditions. The complaints for the first two pitches were they were too slow (although Australia dominated at Lords), and then when they got grassy pitches they complained again!

I thought the poms had the reputation for whinging...

Missing the point yet again. We know the batting has been putrid.

 

[Donnie Darko]

LOL
link from an Aussie paper.

Green pitches are normal for England. The definition of "doctoring" is changing the normal conditions...
Its been a poor summer with loads of rain. Im getting bored of the lies and whinging now..
In 2013 we had a very dry summer and some of the pitches were drier than usual and we got accused of changing those wickets.

 

[ioppolo]

So it'll be all done and dusted by Saturday will it? Cool, we can move on to bullying them in the ODIs sooner.

 

[Bucking Beads]

LOL
link from an Aussie paper.

Green pitches are normal for England. The definition of "doctoring" is changing the normal conditions...
Its been a poor summer with loads of rain. Im getting bored of the lies and whinging now..
In 2013 we had a very dry summer and some of the pitches were drier than usual and we got accused of changing those wickets.

So convenient.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Im sure you wanted a load of flat decks laid down ,because any other surface is "doctored" apparently . Every time I see Australia lose a test match its either the pitch was doctored or the other team did ball tampering..
Never seen many people admit being outplayed on the day.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Im sure you wanted a load of flat decks laid down ,because any other surface is "doctored" apparently . Every time I see Australia lose a test match its either the pitch was doctored or the other team did ball tampering..
Never seen many people admit being outplayed on the day.

*Shrugging shoulders* as far as I'm concerned, we've been well outplayed. Nothing to do with the pitches. We've bowled poorly and you've capitalised, and our batting has been atrocious.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Im sure you wanted a load of flat decks laid down ,because any other surface is "doctored" apparently . Every time I see Australia lose a test match its either the pitch was doctored or the other team did ball tampering..
Never seen many people admit being outplayed on the day.

Now you are talking rot. Australia clearly outplayed but England are also clearly doctoring wickets. They've done it before and they are doing it now.

 

[frankrizzo]

Another green pitch is good as far as i can see as we can at least try and learn something, smith warner mitch marsh these blokes are going to have to face this all over again in 2019 and until they outplay england on greentops all they will get is greentops.

 

[Hellgood]

Embarrassing article.

There were tears on here when they made their pitches too flat and slow and now surprise surprise there are more tears when they make them green

 

[Borderline]

Every country doctors wickets

 

[ricardogp]

Every country doctors wickets

You mean every country has home conditions?

 

[Dagger5]

Complete non issue. Cricket would get very boring if every pitch was the same. How about CA stop caring about money and make result pitches of their own? The WACA pitch these days is a disgrace and don't even get me started on the other roads we have.

 

[Bradesmaen]

England puts out pitches which help their team win at home. Australia put out pitches which help fill their coffers. I know what one I'd have. Ok so they may have gone a little far.. but there's not such thing as a natural pitch when it comes to green or not. Pitches have their variability (Sydney and Adelaide fall apart, Melbourne keeps low, WACA bounces, GABBA has spin and bounce), but the green is chosen by a groundskeeper.

 

[ZIPPY365]

How about our useless batsmen dig in for once. The pitches were not that bad! Root made a ton last test!

I like this guy Spot on mate you mean like your groundsman dont prepare 100mph roads for your bowlers to get stuck into us Down Under???

 

[King Elvis]

Every country doctors wickets

There is preparing pitches to favour the home side, and then there is this. The pitches are a disgrace, everyone knows it - even Nel. It doesn't change the fact that our batting has been pathetic, but it's the reality.

I hope we return the favour next time - prepare pitches that are lighning quick and rock hard, and send a few more of them off in the way we did Trott.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I like this guy Spot on mate you mean like your groundsman dont prepare 100mph roads for your bowlers to get stuck into us Down Under???

I just don't get the complaining. The better team will win, it always has been. A good batsman scores runs in ALL conditions, not just when they are playing on a highway!

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I hope it is a day 1 greentop. I'd much rather watch a collapse than a batathon as I've just scored a ticket to tomorrow at the Oval.

 

[The Speaker]

Our batsmen being unable to deal with a fairly standard pitch is not doctoring.

 

[Showbags]

I like this guy Spot on mate you mean like your groundsman dont prepare 100mph roads for your bowlers to get stuck into us Down Under???

But that is always the condition of Australian wickets. You know what you are going to get everytime. Australia does not doctor wickets specifically to suit the home side (if anything we doctor wickets to suit the tourists to ensure 5 days). Australian grounds usually have their characteristics and stick to them.

That is in contrast to England who clearly do it for home advantage. Last two tours to England in 09 (when they blatantly produced a bunsen burner for Swann in the 5th test after getting skittled on a green seamer the test before). And in 2013 all the wickets were slow low turners to bring Swann into the game. This series they started off by doctoring the wickets to be flat to try to negate any fast bowling advantage we were perceived to have, and after getting hammered at Lords they rolled the dice on a couple of green seamers (where they realised, with a little help from the toss, that they had a big advantage in those conditions).

And good on them. I just wish our bloody curators would do more of it here in Australia. Having said that though that is no excuse for the completely inept displays of batting from the Aussie batsmen.