Changes for the Melbourne Test.

[Pistol Night]

Recruiting the curator from a ground that had become the flattest pitch in Australia was a strange move if they wanted to produce a pitch with more life in it

With all the resources they have at their disposal, how can they **** up a 22 yard strip of grass

 

[LukeParkerno1]

With all the resources they have at their disposal, how can they fu** up a 22 yard strip of grass

Should never have made it a drop in rubbish

 

[Pistol Night]

Should never have made it a drop in rubbish

Spot on

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Just have to look at some of the pitches in the early 2000’s and what’s been dished up in the last 5 yrs.

Not saying other grounds haven’t been just as pathetic and Sydney is included there.

 

[eddiesmith]

With all the resources they have at their disposal, how can they fu** up a 22 yard strip of grass

Because there is the competing interests of 5 days of play = $$$, 5 days for TV = $$$, keeping the ground right for footy season.

Every ground in Australia has gone towards flatter pitches, Adelaide started to turn for D/N tests but back to normal this year. Even the GABBA was pretty batsman friendly. SCG has been getting worse, WACA had turned from the fast bowling mecca to a road up till its replacement. Bellerive is about the only ground that hasn't changed and it doesn't get tests anymore!

They claim the problem is in the group of pitches, they have new pitches being prepared but they take time to produce apparently so have to keep trying to resurrect the current crop of pitches.

 

[ROOTA#6]

They have had 24 months! Do tell what have they actually been doing over that period since that disaster?

They have completely changed the base trays to the pitches as far as I know to similar of what is used in Adelaide and Perth..other than that I can say that I’m not a qualified greens keeper or groundsman and I’m tipping your not either. These blokes are working with natural elements and trying to work in stadiums that are used for many and competing events and competing priorities of stakeholders. Us arm chair experts...most of whom probably struggle to grow grass in our backyards..expect them to roll out perfection every single time and that’s not realistic

 

[LukeParkerno1]

They have completely changed the base trays to the pitches as far as I know to similar of what is used in Adelaide and Perth..other than that I can say that I’m not a qualified greens keeper or groundsman and I’m tipping your not either. These blokes are working with natural elements and trying to work in stadiums that are used for many and competing events and competing priorities of stakeholders. Us arm chair experts...most of whom probably struggle to grow grass in our backyards..expect them to roll out perfection every single time and that’s not realistic

Well when they are being paid who knows what I’d expect them to not produce dead pitches. This goes for all the other pitches.

The pitches shouldn’t be drop ins personally.

 

[Pykie]

Should never have made it a drop in rubbish

Yeah, you obviously never watched football in and before the early 90’s.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah, you obviously never watched football in and before the early 90’s.

Melbourne CRICKET Ground. Similarly it’s the Sydney Cricket Ground.

I’m glad Sydney and it’s members voted NO for that idea. I know I did and there is no way I would ever vote yes.

 

[Marklar_33]

It was done wrong in the first place and now they have changed it. I think it’s twking them time to figure out what they can and can’t do with it

Yeah I’m with you, it’s just obviously a concern that they got it so wrong a fortnight out. I’d love to see a lively MCG pitch, regardless of what that means to my side

 

[Marklar_33]

Melbourne CRICKET Ground. Similarly it’s the Sydney Cricket Ground.

I’m glad Sydney and it’s members voted NO for that idea. I know I did and there is no way I would ever vote yes.

Both grounds would still be open paddocks without the football codes. Cricket must adapt, and it will. Drop ins are still a new concept

 

[Marklar_33]

Because there is the competing interests of 5 days of play = $$$, 5 days for TV = $$$, keeping the ground right for footy

I’m pretty sure the magic number is 4 days. No one pays to get in on Day 5, but they pay staff. The TVs sell advertising packages per Test not per day etc

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Both grounds would still be open paddocks without the football codes. Cricket must adapt, and it will. Drop ins are still a new concept

Won’t in Sydney and good as it’s a joke. Pitches lose their original character if they are drop ins. The only ones that have been okay have been ones they use the pink ball- that’s the ball not the pitch mainly. Until you can 100% guarantee it won’t lose the character it won’t go through in Sydney- we actually care about tradition.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Won’t in Sydney and good as it’s a joke. Pitches lose their original character if they are drop ins. The only ones that have been okay have been ones they use the pink ball- that’s the ball not the pitch mainly. Until you can 100% guarantee it won’t lose the character it won’t go through in Sydney- we actually care about tradition.

It’s coming...wait til it really starts to hit them in the back pocket..the SCG doesn’t hold a candle to the MCG as a multi purpose venue

 

[Seedsfan]

I believe, rightly or wrongly, that they either cannot get anything out of this deck, or they simply don’t know how to work with it

They changed the whole drainage system under the wicket block a few years back to improve the square these things take a few years to get right. May still be average this year but should improve from next year

 

[LukeParkerno1]

It’s coming...wait til it really starts to hit them in the back pocket..the SCG doesn’t hold a candle to the MCG as a multi purpose venue

Still has to get through the members! We all cheered when it failed. Was hilarious and we all were happy. Just what we need another multipurpose stadium- there’s Olympic Stadium and Parramatta for that- it’s plenty.

 

[Cold Sober]

Patto in or the selectors get it.
It's not rocket science.

 

[eddiesmith]

Comparing the SCG and MCG is chalk and cheese, the SCGs biggest and only real event every year is the test match, even then it’s only grown because of partnering with the McGrath Foundation.

The Boxing Day test is big, but it’s one of many, many big events at the MCG every year. Sydney proved this year it struggles to cope with extra traffic with NSW games being moved due to an unsatisfactory ground condition from the NRL. Will be interesting to see how it holds up as the host of the next couple of NRL GFs. Only thing that will save it is it’s a very temporary venue so a shit NRL GF won’t make them make major changes to the ground.

Sure the drop in still needs work, but I’m happy for the MCG to be a great ground 12 months of the year and if a drop in is the only way then it’s the best option.

 

[eddiesmith]

I’m pretty sure the magic number is 4 days. No one pays to get in on Day 5, but they pay staff. The TVs sell advertising packages per Test not per day etc

Yeah but if you pay for advertising during the test and 30% of your ads end up being during some rerun that no one is watching, will you still pay as much next year?

 

[View from the nosebleed]

Melbourne CRICKET Ground. Similarly it’s the Sydney Cricket Ground.

I’m glad Sydney and it’s members voted NO for that idea. I know I did and there is no way I would ever vote yes.

From memory it was a Joe misiti injury which lead to the change to drop ins.
Plus, the MCG would make more money from footy than cricket, so they went towards that.

Weirdly, the MCG wickets for the Shield usually have a bit of life.

It’s a shame, but a lot of Aussie wickets are becoming one paced these days.

 

[View from the nosebleed]

Whilst I’d prefer to get Patto in, Neser has been in and around the squad for a 2hile and has better numbers this season than Patto.
But a fired up Patto at the G is bloody appealing

 

[Marklar_33]

Yeah but if you pay for advertising during the test and 30% of your ads end up being during some rerun that no one is watching, will you still pay as much next year?

If I’m relying on 5th day advertising on a Monday or Tuesday morning then I’m probably not going real well in business anyway

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Because there is the competing interests of 5 days of play = $$$, 5 days for TV = $$$, keeping the ground right for footy season.

Every ground in Australia has gone towards flatter pitches, Adelaide started to turn for D/N tests but back to normal this year. Even the GABBA was pretty batsman friendly. SCG has been getting worse, WACA had turned from the fast bowling mecca to a road up till its replacement. Bellerive is about the only ground that hasn't changed and it doesn't get tests anymore!

They claim the problem is in the group of pitches, they have new pitches being prepared but they take time to produce apparently so have to keep trying to resurrect the current crop of pitches.

There's truth in all that, and the red Kookaburra doesn't swing after about 8-10 overs. Even the pink one doesn't do alot after a pretty short time, althoiugh when it does in that transition period (particularly when partly shaded) its tricky to bat against. Abrasion, etc, of the pitch affects that; but is not mainly a pitch thing. The strange thing is I reckon some pitches have still had a decentish amount of grass, and there hasn't been movement there either.

I doubt Kookaburra have made the seam lower or anything. I do wonder if there has been some trade-off with the ball going the distance. Remember a few years back (maybe six or seven years ago) the ball was never going 80 overs, and often not 30, without being replaced. i wonder if whatever was done to resolve that has reduced the movement of the ball.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

LukeParkerno1 least interested Sydney Swans supporter, confirmed.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

LukeParkerno1 least interested Sydney Swans supporter, confirmed.

Why because I want a cricket ground to be a cricket ground that doesn't lose it's natural aspects...

I won't ever vote for a drop in unless someone can prove that a drop in won't change the pitch, and considering it has everywhere else, I'm happy with my view. The pitches have been flat enough without us making it a drop in as well. I don't pay my membership every year for the pitch to be dead.

Whilst I love football, I love cricket more actually. Don't want more roads. If anything the SCG ground needs to get back to what it was in the 90's where it turned a lot more. However the Shield wickets have been very good, good even contest between bat an ball.