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Swalec Stadium

Does the Swalec Stadium deserve Test status?


  • Total voters
    20

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
^ Though give Monty's ridiculously bad start to the season (I thought he'd have a great start when I mentioned he will play in the 1st test earlier in the thread) I think Rashid may get the nod.

The fact Rashid can bat will (unfortunately) help his cause.

Leg spinners generally like bounce though and even though he is more akin to Kumble than Warne, I'm sure he'd like a bouncy surface to bowl on.
The fact that neither MSP nor Rashid are Test material currently should hopefully see one spinner tops picked at all times.

BTW MSP's bad start to the season is nothing remotely new - exact same thing happened in 2007 and 2008 as well, and he still had his usual yearly Old Trafford wondermatch.

Only thing is there's no Old Trafford Test this year - we've a Swalec one instead...
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
^^ LOL.

I'm slightly concerned about Hussey against spin. He seems to be getting out either lbw or nicking to slip without getting his feet to the ball and playing down the wrong line.

Their are some big duels expected, but one of the ones I'm looking forward to the most is Hussey vs Swann.

Am I right in thinking that they played County Cricket together??
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
^^ LOL.

I'm slightly concerned about Hussey against spin. He seems to be getting out either lbw or nicking to slip without getting his feet to the ball and playing down the wrong line.

Their are some big duels expected, but one of the ones I'm looking forward to the most is Hussey vs Swann.

Am I right in thinking that they played County Cricket together??
Pretty sure they played one season together - 2003. Might be wrong about that though.
 

rivera213

U19 Vice-Captain
The fact that neither MSP nor Rashid are Test material currently should hopefully see one spinner tops picked at all times.
Ja, but the fact Cardiff is generally SO slow, it won't fill seamers wit confidence. I can see Rashid getting the nod for the 1st test.


BTW MSP's bad start to the season is nothing remotely new - exact same thing happened in 2007 and 2008 as well, and he still had his usual yearly Old Trafford wondermatch.
Na, but he at least showed promise at the infancy of his career. It was a case of "he's bowling well but not getting the rewards". Now I think it's the case of he's just not bowling well enough.


Only thing is there's no Old Trafford Test this year - we've a Swalec one instead...
I don't mind Old Trafford not being given an Ashes test since it's forced them into a £300m re-development which I'm sure will see them be a staple for the Ahes series from 2013.

Lord's can be as derelict as possible since it is Lord's (don't necessarily agree with it, but that's the way it is) but the other venues need to sort it out.

The pavillions and "character" parts of a stadium shouldn't be changed but there should be development for seating where possible.

Edgbaston will get a £30-35m re-development as will The Oval.

I don't agree with Cardiff being given an Ashes test over Chester-le-Street (which is also the most seam friendly wicket in England when prepared "naturally") but you can understand that the ECB wanting to include Wales in the biggest event in cricket and spread the game.

I'm sure although the body is called the "England and Wales Cricket Board", the Welsh fans felt left out.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
the current aussie side have a lot players who are not playing spin well at the moment-ponting,Hussey ,watson have looked bad recently.Depending on the pitch i would like England to go with 2 spinners.
Poor-quality spin bowling won't cause undue difficulties. There's just no point in picking a spinner, even on a turning pitch, just because he's a spinner. You have to bowl good lines, lengths and trajectory - turning the ball alone is not enough.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Ja, but the fact Cardiff is generally SO slow, it won't fill seamers wit confidence. I can see Rashid getting the nod for the 1st test.
Spinners need some pace too y'know. But either way, as I say, there's no point picking spinners just because seamers will be in a less-than-ideal situation. Seam almost always has a better chance of success than spin with both disadvantaged.
Na, but he at least showed promise at the infancy of his career. It was a case of "he's bowling well but not getting the rewards". Now I think it's the case of he's just not bowling well enough.
Well as regards the county performances of 2007 and 2008 - we don't really know what it was because Northamptonshire aren't exactly a well-watched county. We know MSP has bowled very poorly in recent Tests; but that is unconnected to his county form. Right now, I'd not back MSP to do the job in a Test, at all, under any circumstances. So thus, to pick him would be plain silly.
 

rivera213

U19 Vice-Captain
Spinners need some pace too y'know. But either way, as I say, there's no point picking spinners just because seamers will be in a less-than-ideal situation. Seam almost always has a better chance of success than spin with both disadvantaged.
Pace and bounce moreso for conventional leggies (Warne liked Brisbane for that reason). I'm sure Swann would like lack of pace and bounce as long as there is turn. He bowled better than his figures show in India (against batsmen used to spin- offies in particular) and Australia struggled against Harbhajan by and large.

Cardiff, from what I've heard, will be similar to the turning Indian wickets but obviously freezing cold since it's the UK! Lol


Well as regards the county performances of 2007 and 2008 - we don't really know what it was because Northamptonshire aren't exactly a well-watched county. We know MSP has bowled very poorly in recent Tests; but that is unconnected to his county form. Right now, I'd not back MSP to do the job in a Test, at all, under any circumstances. So thus, to pick him would be plain silly.
We have to trust the ECB scouts weren't spining us a line and I can't see any spinner being picked if they bowl as poorly as Panesar has this season y all reports.

But Amjad Khan got picked so I'm not too confident. Lol
 

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Now people have seen a bit of the pitch & ground what do you think?

The pitch seems to be exactly what I expected. Doesn't seem to be much atmosphere from what others have said and listening on the radio.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Now people have seen a bit of the pitch & ground what do you think?

The pitch seems to be exactly what I expected. Doesn't seem to be much atmosphere from what others have said and listening on the radio.
Can't judge the pitch properly until both teams have bowled on it, but my impression during the first session was that it was a crap pitch.
 

Kweek

Cricketer Of The Year
So other than the usual stuff about how disgraceful it was to award a Test to a venue that is worse in every single imaginable way than Riverside, Glamorgan have been docked two points for preparing a substandard surface at the ground.

Cricinfo - Cardiff pitch under scrutiny

So expect Panesar to suddenly be proclaimed as England's saviour when he can barely get a wicket for his county. Personally I expect the Test to be more of a dead draw pitch (cue excuses made about the weather hampering preparations) and I'd much rather see England go for someone like Rashid who offers far better balance and can actually buy wickets. I think one specialist finger spinner is more than enough. A bad second one who can't bat or field doesn't appeal to me.
hahahaha :laugh:
spot on scaly!
 

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I thought it was okay, it wasn't quite as slow as I expected. 337 runs in a day bshows that shots can be played, and there was a lot of swing about, I actually think the spin will stay too slow to have much of an effect, but it did turn.

The atmosphere certainly got better in the final session and lets face it compared to Lords (where the first match has been played recently), it was practically rocking.

I'm as anti-Welsh as the next person, yet I thought it was a decent start to the series.
 

zaremba

Cricketer Of The Year
Doesn't seem to be much atmosphere from what others have said and listening on the radio.
Yes it was pretty poor. I was watching on telly and it may be that the effects mic didn't pick up the atmosphere particularly well. But it seemed very flat and lacking in atmosphere, and the soulless look of the place didn't help.

The atmosphere certainly got better in the final session and lets face it compared to Lords (where the first match has been played recently), it was practically rocking.
I disagree. Lord's has a wonderful and unique atmosphere. What it lacks are musical instruments, the Barmy Army and fancy dress. And while those things perhaps have their place, they are hardly essential to the experience of watching the cricket, and are often detrimental to it.
 

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I disagree. Lord's has a wonderful and unique atmosphere. What it lacks are musical instruments, the Barmy Army and fancy dress. And while those things perhaps have their place, they are hardly essential to the experience of watching the cricket, and are often detrimental to it.
Well I tend to find Lords anaemic, and the pitch doesn't generally help. Think it's been fairly shocking of late, generally the worst Test match venue, despite it's unique feel.

Would probably prefer a test at Old Trafford either way, as long as I didn't have to go to the place.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Not really. In the 3 years 2006-2008, the only truly disgraceful deck, which gave no realistic chance of a result, was the match against South Africa.

4 of the 5 others would have had a result had lost time been able to be made-up.
 

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