Lords may no longer be guaranteed test match cricket

[wpdavid]

The justification is that it's historically the most famous ground in the World and in a split tour both Countries want to play there.

Arguments rather than justification imo. In particular, the 2nd point is completely irrelevant, even if true.

 

[Langeveldt]

AWTA

Lords is England.

Yeah agreed.. What angers me is a place like Cardiff getting a test match..

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah agreed.. What angers me is a place like Cardiff getting a test match..

And they know noone wants to go to a cricket match there so to avoid having egg on their face they give it the most high-profile match in existence.

 

[silentstriker]

From a purely outsider's POV, I can't imagine a tour of England without a Test at Lord's. It's just so iconic. I understand the business aspect of it obviously, but from a spectator's point of view, the number one cricket related item on my list of things to do is to watch a Test match from Lord's. Touring England without going to Lord's seems....hollow.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Going against it is the general direness of the cricket it's produced recently.

I think keeping the sentiments aside, one should look at the situation practically, since the Ashes 05 test the Lord's pitch hasn't produced a single result yielding test match, and that certainly isn't acceptable, they should do something with the pitch there as soon as possible otherwise it would be only fair enough if the ground isn't allowed to host test matches, despite its history and everything.

WRT the flattening out of the Lords' pitch; I'm sure I read an article that the (absolutely excellent) drainage system was to blame. It's so successful at its job, it has literally drained the life out of the strip.

Anyway, one a year seems fine. Not every country gets to play at the SCG or Edens Gardens on tours, so why should Lords be an exception?

Our record there generally is gash too.

 

[GIMH]

Brumby just made the point I was going to, although I was gonna say MCG rather than SCG.

It should always have one Test, and having recently been on the tour, it is a fantastic ground with great history. But the fact that it gets two Tests whilst Old Trafford gets none ****s me no end

 

[Goughy]

But the fact that it gets two Tests whilst Old Trafford gets none ****s me no end

Old Trafford is a hole. There I said it.

 

[Richard]

Yeah agreed.. What angers me is a place like Cardiff getting a test match..

And they know noone wants to go to a cricket match there so to avoid having egg on their face they give it the most high-profile match in existence.

If there's a genuine prospect of good attendance there (as I pray to God someone has done some research and found-out that there is a high prospect of being) then a ground in Wales deserves some preferential treatment IMO. As long as the "stuff" is up-to-standard, the fact that England and Wales are one as a cricket team needs maximum emphasis. A Test in Cardiff is about the best thing you can offer.

That said, the stadium has more imperfections than I think I'd like to see.

 

[Richard]

What's the self appointed "home of cricket" going to do to get young people into cricket?

TBF, many people outside Lord's refer to the place as The Home Of Cricket. It's far from exclusively a self-appointed thing.

And as to the London thing, well yes, it does seem a tadge rich that the place gets 3 out of 7 Tests per season. However, there may well be some sort of figures somewhere that either justify such a thing or come damn close to.

A Test season without a game at either Lord's or The Oval - that is, just one of them missing-out - is unthinkable to me. As long as two or more Tests have been played in the country in a home season, one has been held at both, UIMM. If there are exceptions there can't be many.

 

[Richard]

I think keeping the sentiments aside, one should look at the situation practically, since the Ashes 05 test the Lord's pitch hasn't produced a single result yielding test match, and that certainly isn't acceptable, they should do something with the pitch there as soon as possible otherwise it would be only fair enough if the ground isn't allowed to host test matches, despite its history and everything.

As regards this, what shouldn't be lost sight of is that all Tests at Lord's since '06 would have had results had lost play been able to be made-up, except the most recent one and the 2nd one. Much as "6 consecutive draws" sounds bad, the reality is that only 2 of them were genuine draws with a full game.

 

[Prince EWS]

Should just replace the ODI series and all the Twenty20 games with another three Tests - it'd solve the problem!

Oh, and before anyone says anything, I'm perfectly aware that it'd cause another five or six problems and has less chance of happening than Pakistan winning the Ashes. A man can dream though...

 

[GIMH]

Old Trafford is a hole. There I said it.

Doubt many of us would disagree with that. Has had some cracking Tests in recent years though.

 

[Uppercut]

If there's a genuine prospect of good attendance there (as I pray to God someone has done some research and found-out that there is a high prospect of being) then a ground in Wales deserves some preferential treatment IMO. As long as the "stuff" is up-to-standard, the fact that England and Wales are one as a cricket team needs maximum emphasis. A Test in Cardiff is about the best thing you can offer.

That said, the stadium has more imperfections than I think I'd like to see.

Oh i completely agree that tests should be held in Wales, tests should be spread around as much as possible IMO. That's one of the main reasons i'm arguing the anti-Lords case here.

But giving them the opening test of the Ashes is an absolute joke. I'm sure i don't have to expand on why.

 

[Richard]

Should just replace the ODI series and all the Twenty20 games with another three Tests - it'd solve the problem!

Oh, and before anyone says anything, I'm perfectly aware that it'd cause another five or six problems and has less chance of happening than Pakistan winning the Ashes. A man can dream though...

I actually think a ten-Test summer would be a bad idea from many different POVs. I don't think I'd enjoy it anywhere near as much as seven Tests and ten ODIs.

 

[Richard]

Oh i completely agree that tests should be held in Wales, tests should be spread around as much as possible IMO. That's one of the main reasons i'm arguing the anti-Lords case here.

But giving them the opening test of the Ashes is an absolute joke. I'm sure i don't have to expand on why.

Nah, I don't think I'd have played the opener there - I always prefer Edgbaston to open any form of big series, with Lord's second. I was more posting about the fact they had it ITFP - and that it was an Australia game - I deliberately quoted yours and Hingston's posts to make it clear I wasn't replying purely to yours.

 

[Langeveldt]

Totally disagree that it should be held in an area as devoid of cricketing culture as Wales when you have a place like Manchester losing out

 

[Richard]

How familiar exactly are you with south Wales' cricketing culture then?

 

[Flem274*]

Nothing is sacred anymore.

 

[Burgey]

Look, it's no more than a couple of hours drive from anywhere in England to anywhere else. Just buy the tickets and drive down.

 

[Uppercut]

Look, it's no more than a couple of hours drive from anywhere in England to anywhere else. Just buy the tickets and drive down.

It's no harder for Londoners to get to Headingley than it is for Yorkshiremen to get to Lord's.