Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) - Discussion

[dantm]

This pitch is producing scores of around 250-350,which indicates to me a very good Test match pitch
Geez there are some jealous flogs on these boards
"No one is critical of the Sydney pitch...."
"Sydney is big and ugly..."

FFS get over your insecurity.

 

[fabulousphil]

Why should the SCG ever change? There are what, 8 games of AFL per season. There's still more cricket played per season than AFL on the ground, given the test matches, ODI's, T20 internationals and Big Bash, not to mention there's a few other sports played there.

But then 'compromise' to the AFL is bending over to the advantage of the AFL, ruining the character of grounds for one sport to suit another. I'm glad the SCG won't do that, the SCG pitch is amongst the best in the country and will continue to stay that way, ensuring quality cricket. Hopefully that Gabba stays that way.

And I'd say the SCG would gain far more money from cricket, given the much bigger ticket prices and the fact that the majority of their members are cricket people, which is where they'd make alot of money.

If being the 'odd man out' is supporting the sport that has been the grounds lifeblood then I'm ******* glad the SCG will stay the odd man out.

I thought they may play more than 8 games, but you could be right.

Not sure whether the SCG makes more out of cricket than football, i guess that would be difficult to find out, but interesting none the less.

If, and when another AFL team plays out of the SCG, then that may change the dynamics of the stadium, from a cost POV, but from looking at the Adelaide test match, the drop in pitch certainly seemed to be OK there.

There has always seemed to be a air of hostility towards Australian Football from the SCG trust IMO, and this quote just confirms it as ongoing, ...... that even if the Sydney Cricket Ground was the last cricket ground in the world that had a traditional wicket, it would remain the last cricket ground in the world.

So even if the SCG was the last cricket ground in the world !!! ????.

FFS

 

[Bomber Bears]

I think it's just a cricket ground, first and foremost, as it should.

 

[swans2014]

I thought they may play more than 8 games, but you could be right.

Not sure whether the SCG makes more out of cricket than football, i guess that would be difficult to find out, but interesting none the less.

If, and when another AFL team plays out of the SCG, then that may change the dynamics of the stadium, from a cost POV, but from looking at the Adelaide test match, the drop in pitch certainly seemed to be OK there.

There has always seemed to be a air of hostility towards Australian Football from the SCG trust IMO, and this quote just confirms it as ongoing, ...... that even if the Sydney Cricket Ground was the last cricket ground in the world that had a traditional wicket, it would remain the last cricket ground in the world.

So even if the SCG was the last cricket ground in the world !!! ????.

FFS

Yep, it's usually 8 games at the SCG and 3 at ANZ.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Looks turrible. The different sizes of stands looks turrible too.

 

[Subprime]

It's a wicket for good cricket. It gave something for the quicks on the first day, there's runs in it if you show any patience and it brings spin into the game on days 3, 4, 5. That's what you want out of a cricket pitch, not something that holds together for 5 days and end in two sides scoring 600 in the first innings.

You can get all of that from a drop-in wicket.

Get your hand off it.

 

[fabulousphil]

Yep, it's usually 8 games at the SCG and 3 at ANZ.

Although i imagine most Swans fans want all the games at the SCG as well as finals.

Perhaps the AFL have attempted to use ANZ as some sort of bargaiing chip on rent etc with the SCG trust, to gain greater leverage.

Should all of Sydneys games as well as finals be at the SCG i would imagine that the Swans may generate more money, considering the costs involved in Shield cricket that gets attendances of 3 men and a dog.

 

[hitthepost]

I still want to know where the Swans will play when the AFL mandates H&A matches cannot be played on a cricket pitch block.

 

[seanoff]

I still want to know where the Swans will play when the AFL mandates H&A matches cannot be played on a cricket pitch block.

The afl will not mandate it, or if they do,they will exempt sydney and brisbane. They are not getting other stadiums built in those cities. Sydney has three problems. Anz stadium, the surface is trash. The swans support are not travelling west to go to the games and skoda isnt big enough. Brisbane is not the gold coast, so brisbane people are not travelling to the gold coast to attend games.

If you think the afl are going to force either of those teams to play elsewhere. Please WAKE UP.

 

[Croweater]

I still want to know where the Swans will play when the AFL mandates H&A matches cannot be played on a cricket pitch block.

In my opinion, all dual football/cricket venues should have drop in pitches, as to make it safe and acceptable for players of both sports.

Seemed to work fine for Adelaide Oval. The old farts at the SCG and the Gabba need to get their heads out of their arses and move into the 21st century.

 

[brisbane13]

In my opinion, all dual football/cricket venues should have drop in pitches, as to make it safe and acceptable for players of both sports.

Seemed to work fine for Adelaide Oval. The old farts at the SCG and the Gabba need to get their heads out of their arses and move into the 21st century.

True. A test match. Some odi"s and a t20 game doest cover the cost of having a large modern stadium built and maintained. The afl is needed as the winter tenant to help cover costs and fund maintaine and future up grades

 

[hitthepost]

The afl will not mandate it, or if they do,they will exempt sydney and brisbane. They are not getting other stadiums built in those cities. Sydney has three problems. Anz stadium, the surface is trash. The swans support are not travelling west to go to the games and skoda isnt big enough. Brisbane is not the gold coast, so brisbane people are not travelling to the gold coast to attend games.

If you think the afl are going to force either of those teams to play elsewhere. Please WAKE UP.

I'm awake to the fact that the AFL is more and more concerned with player welfare on pitches.
I'm only putting forward a scenario that puts a spanner in the works of the current status quo in Sydney and Brisbane of playing AFL on cricket pitches.
I was awake before you YELLED AT ME.

 

[zaca275]

The afl will not mandate it, or if they do,they will exempt sydney and brisbane. They are not getting other stadiums built in those cities. Sydney has three problems. Anz stadium, the surface is trash. The swans support are not travelling west to go to the games and skoda isnt big enough. Brisbane is not the gold coast, so brisbane people are not travelling to the gold coast to attend games.

If you think the afl are going to force either of those teams to play elsewhere. Please WAKE UP.

If the AFL wants drop in pitches, the AFL will get drop in pitches. $$ Talks and those grounds will never be able to make a profit with 1 test, an odi and possibly a t20 annually. Just look at the state the SACA was in before the AO redevelopment...

 

[Bomber Bears]

In my opinion, all dual football/cricket venues should have drop in pitches, as to make it safe and acceptable for players of both sports.

Seemed to work fine for Adelaide Oval. The old farts at the SCG and the Gabba need to get their heads out of their arses and move into the 21st century.

Lets compromise and do what suits the AFL best of all at the expense of the other sport.

 

[Croweater]

Lets compromise and do what suits the AFL best of all at the expense of the other sport.

Let's get one thing straight: The SCG is a multi-use venue, not just a cricket ground.

The Swans pay rent, they should get a safe ground to play on. What would suit the AFL best would be a ground that never got touched. What suits cricket the most is having a permanent pitch, something which is actually occurring. A fair compromise for the two major tenants is having a drop-in pitch.

I can't believe how idiotic some peoples logic is. It's truly baffling.

 

[fabulousphil]

Let's get one thing straight: The SCG is a multi-use venue, not just a cricket ground.

The Swans pay rent, they should get a safe ground to play on. What would suit the AFL best would be a ground that never got touched. What suits cricket the most is having a permanent pitch, something which is actually occurring. A fair compromise for the two major tenants is having a drop-in pitch.

I can't believe how idiotic some peoples logic is. It's truly baffling.

Spot on, a drop in pitch may enable the Sydney test to go more than 3 days .

Perhaps if the Swans could gaurantee more home games + some finals, it would be worth it financially to the trust.

But as i posted before this comment below from the chairman of the SCG is just very thinly veiled hostility, well actually, it is not even thinly veiled, probably a rugger man who hates football.

that even if the Sydney Cricket Ground was the last cricket ground in the world that had a traditional wicket, it would remain the last cricket ground in the world.

 

[seanoff]

If the AFL wants drop in pitches, the AFL will get drop in pitches. $$ Talks and those grounds will never be able to make a profit with 1 test, an odi and possibly a t20 annually. Just look at the state the SACA was in before the AO redevelopment...

You are conflating two entirely different things. The SCG trust is not the SACA, never was, never will be.

First the SCG trust is two venues not one. Both are pretty well used. Both hold in excess of 40000

The SCG is at best 50/50. There are 8 afl games a season. Not the 22+ adelaide will get, or perth or even the gold coast and not even close to the mcg or etihad. If you add up the big cricket days its more than the afl event days. This isn't counting the other venue which hosts NRL, Super rugby, rugby internationals, A league and concerts. AFL based income isnt all that much really.

Membership income is in excess of $18m with a ten year waitlist. Even if the afl leave and some members dont renew its not going to really effect this number. Venue hire was about $8m, the afl was repsonsible for less than half of that. Catering. Go to POrt board and track down the guy with the numbers. 1 day of test cricket is multiple AFL games.
$ per head per day of cricket is insane. Never mind all the other non afl events.


So all these AFL $ you are on about, where are they?

As far as i can tell the afl need the scg more than the scg needs the afl.

 

[fabulousphil]

You are conflating two entirely different things. The SCG trust is not the SACA, never was, never will be.

First the SCG trust is two venues not one. Both are pretty well used. Both hold in excess of 40000

The SCG is at best 50/50. There are 8 afl games a season. Not the 22+ adelaide will get, or perth or even the gold coast and not even close to the mcg or etihad. If you add up the big cricket days its more than the afl event days. This isn't counting the other venue which hosts NRL, Super rugby, rugby internationals, A league and concerts. AFL based income isnt all that much really.

Membership income is in excess of $18m with a ten year waitlist. Even if the afl leave and some members dont renew its not going to really effect this number. Venue hire was about $8m, the afl was repsonsible for less than half of that. Catering. Go to POrt board and track down the guy with the numbers. 1 day of test cricket is multiple AFL games.
$ per head per day of cricket is insane. Never mind all the other non afl events.


So all these AFL $ you are on about, where are they?

As far as i can tell the afl need the scg more than the scg needs the afl.

I think we are talking specifically about the SCG, and the way the test has gone this year, the $$$ argument may be debateable, add the one dayers, BBL and test, but then take away the costs for shield cricket , which would cost plenty and not make a return at all, and cricket may not make or provide as much as what you think.

If the Swans played all their home games + finals at the SCG then it may be quite close.

The SCG want the AFL, they just want to be in total control, and give no ground, the SCG trust has plenty of rugby people on the board, far more than genuine cricket people, and that may provide your real answer about drop in pitches.

 

[____]

I can bet my life if the SCG members and/or trust got to vote whether the SCG had a drop in pitch with AFL or no drop in without AFL, they'd take the latter option.

Like it or not the SCG is seen as a cricket ground first and foremost. The SCG trust would rather have no AFL than put a drop in wicket.

The AFL in NSW/QLD are after sports fans willing to give Aussie Rules a go. Even if the AFL could force the SCG and 'Gabba to have a drop in wicket, pissing off cricket fans by forcing a drop in wicket is not a good move in attracting fans and is just bad PR for the code.

The pitch honestly doesn't bother me as a footy fan, and as a cricket fan I'd be sad to see a drop in at the 'Gabba (or the SCG or WACA fwiw as they are all good cricket wickets. AO didn't bother me as it is a road). The stadium deal the Lions get, the flat terrain on the bottom tier of seating and the hilly terrain in the Gabba field bothers me a lot more than a cricket pitch in the middle as a Lions fan that goes to every home game.

Also a lot of footy players in their junior days would have played on cricket pitches in the middle. If they can't handle a pitch then how did they become AFL standard?

 

[fabulousphil]

I can bet my life if the SCG members and/or trust got to vote whether the SCG had a drop in pitch with AFL or no drop in without AFL, they'd take the latter option.

Like it or not the SCG is seen as a cricket ground first and foremost. The SCG trust would rather have no AFL than put a drop in wicket.

The AFL in NSW/QLD are after sports fans willing to give Aussie Rules a go. Even if the AFL could force the SCG and 'Gabba to have a drop in wicket, pissing off cricket fans by forcing a drop in wicket is not a good move in attracting fans and is just bad PR for the code.

The pitch honestly doesn't bother me as a footy fan, and as a cricket fan I'd be sad to see a drop in at the 'Gabba (or the SCG or WACA fwiw as they are all good cricket wickets. AO didn't bother me as it is a road). The stadium deal the Lions get, the flat terrain on the bottom tier of seating and the hilly terrain in the Gabba field bothers me a lot more than a cricket pitch in the middle as a Lions fan that goes to every home game.

Also a lot of footy players in their junior days would have played on cricket pitches in the middle. If they can't handle a pitch then how did they become AFL standard?

I am a cricket fan, admittedly i prefer football to it, but i and plenty of other people have no qualms about a drop in pitch, the Gabba is a different story again to the SCG, i would imagine that the Lions provide more income than cricket, and if not, it would be terribly close.

I dont think the AFL should force anything, and FWIW i think the SCG in particular will always be known first and foremost as a cricket ground, but if drop in pitches provide good cricket and are financially viable, i fail to see the problem.

Investigate the members and background of the SCG trust, and the answer will be the hostility to Australian Football.

 

[Subprime]

Lets compromise and do what suits the AFL best of all at the expense of the other sport.

Only thing is its not at the expense of cricket.

Drop-in wickets are prepared in the same way as non-drop-in wickets. Les Burdett, who has been a leading curator for years and sought after internationally, made this point quite clearly when Adelaide Oval made the change to drop-ins.

I'm not sure how it becomes so mysterious to some people, we are discussing dirt and grass here. In one case its in a tray deep enough to contain the roots and in another case its not.

In both cases its dirt and grass. Its the same thing.

 

[zaca275]

This is a statement I got from SACA regarding the drop in wickets at Adelaide Oval. There is no reason why a drop in at either the SCG or Gabba cannot play very similarly to the current wickets as far as I am concerned. Note the 'basic replicas' part

We’re very confident our drop-in wickets will be world class. We have some of the best experts in the business working on our wickets, in former curator Les Burdett and new groundsman Damian Hough. The wickets have been growing since February last year, and have already been consolidated and rolled, and are ready to be “dropped in”. They won’t be anything like the first generation of drop-in wickets that were used at the MCG or Etihad Stadium – these are basic replicas of the original Adelaide Oval test wickets, using the same soil, clay and structure, so should present very similar conditions for players.

 

[FLYINV]

Let's get one thing straight: The SCG is a multi-use venue, not just a cricket ground.

The Swans pay rent, they should get a safe ground to play on. What would suit the AFL best would be a ground that never got touched. What suits cricket the most is having a permanent pitch, something which is actually occurring. A fair compromise for the two major tenants is having a drop-in pitch.

I can't believe how idiotic some peoples logic is. It's truly baffling.

Despite being a Swans fan I'm still 100% against a drop in at the SCG, (and Gabba) because I just don't see the big deal with a permanent centre wicket remaining in place for the footy season, the risk to cricket is much greater as the character of a pitch is a key factor in how entertaining the game is, and also the development of players.

It's been this way for 25+ years and never been an issue. Sure it may be a little bit more comfortable for the players but I think the big reason why the MCG and SACA have gone the drop in route is because you cannot develop a cricket pitch on these grounds concurrent with 22+ games played during the winter months.

The SCG and Gabba have two of the top 5 cricket wickets in the world, and have played a big part in countless great tests, bowling performances and batting feats.

 

[fabulousphil]

Despite being a Swans fan I'm still 100% against a drop in at the SCG, (and Gabba) because I just don't see the big deal with a permanent centre wicket remaining in place for the footy season, the risk to cricket is much greater as the character of a pitch is a key factor in how entertaining the game is, and also the development of players.

It's been this way for 25+ years and never been an issue. Sure it may be a little bit more comfortable for the players but I think the big reason why the MCG and SACA have gone the drop in route is because you cannot develop a cricket pitch on these grounds concurrent with 22+ games played during the winter months.

The SCG and Gabba have two of the top 5 cricket wickets in the world, and have played a big part in countless great tests, bowling performances and batting feats.

With all due respect, you possibly wouldn't agree if Buddy Franklin skidded across the center wicket which can be like glass and does a knee.

It appears both tenants can be accommadated

Juniors play on cricket ovals that are matt covered across the cricket pitches, but again junior football is a bit different to AFL tempo football.

IMO if drop in wickets are shown to be cost effective and produce good even cricket then i really don't know what the fuss is about.

 

[____]

Despite being a Swans fan I'm still 100% against a drop in at the SCG, (and Gabba) because I just don't see the big deal with a permanent centre wicket remaining in place for the footy season, the risk to cricket is much greater as the character of a pitch is a key factor in how entertaining the game is, and also the development of players.

It's been this way for 25+ years and never been an issue. Sure it may be a little bit more comfortable for the players but I think the big reason why the MCG and SACA have gone the drop in route is because you cannot develop a cricket pitch on these grounds concurrent with 22+ games played during the winter months.

The SCG and Gabba have two of the top 5 cricket wickets in the world, and have played a big part in countless great tests, bowling performances and batting feats.

This.

The SCG, Gabba and WACA pitches are much better than Adelaide Oval was and is now. A road is much easier to replicate with a drop in than a pitch that is unique and offers something to batsmen and bowlers.

Also 22 games is much more than 11, 8 and 0 combined.