Which ground in your country produces the best cricket ?

[Smudge]

Add to that - Queenstown Events Centre and the new University Oval in Dunedin (once its pitch is sorted out).

 

[Richard]

Eden Park has had its fair share of crackers, but one of the most beautiful spectator grounds to watch cricket would have to be the Basin Reserve.

The one England played Otago on 3 years ago wasn't bad, either.

 

[Smudge]

The one England played Otago on 3 years ago wasn't bad, either.

Was that Molyneux Park in Alexandra? Peter Donigan usually prepares a pretty good pitch up there. It's very hot and dry in summer, so bat tends to dominate ball.

 

[Richard]

It was the one next the The Remarkables, whichever one that is.

 

[Smudge]

Ahhh, that's the Queenstown Events Centre - awesome place to watch cricket.

It's where I made my debut as a mascot.

 

[AndrewM]

Ahhh, that's the Queenstown Events Centre - awesome place to watch cricket.

It's where I made my debut as a mascot.

Yeah mate, the backdrop is quite amazing, almost surreal that a game of cricket would be taking place..
(thanks for the comments on my article too btw )

 

[Smudge]

Yeah mate, the backdrop is quite amazing, almost surreal that a game of cricket would be taking place..
(thanks for the comments on my article too btw )

It's even cooler when a plane comes in to land during the match.

No worries re: the article. You've got a simple, flowing style and very little editing was required. Are you going further (ie. gainful employment) with your writing?

 

[King_Ponting]

I believe the WACA is home to the most exicting cricket.

 

[AndrewM]

No worries re: the article. You've got a simple, flowing style and very little editing was required. Are you going further (ie. gainful employment) with your writing?

Well at university at the mo but was hoping to maybe earn some on the side while i study, but i would never rule out gainful employment if it doesn't work out. Professional journalism has been in the thoughts for awhile, just not sure whether to head that way yet.
So you think its good enough? I wasn't sure about the standard that is required for print media/other writing.

(apologies to the thread, not really relevant re: grounds )

 

[Smudge]

Well at university at the mo but was hoping to maybe earn some on the side while i study, but i would never rule out gainful employment if it doesn't work out. Professional journalism has been in the thoughts for awhile, just not sure whether to head that way yet.
So you think its good enough? I wasn't sure about the standard that is required for print media/other writing.

To be fair, you don't necessarily get to pick and choose what you write in print media (unless you own the paper/magazine) which is where a lot of prospective journalists get frustrated.

The other thing people need to be able to do is partially temper their own opinion (or completely temper it if they are writing general news like I do) which a lot of people find hard.

I certainly think you have the makings of going alright in the industry. I think you've got my email now if you want to ask about the good journo schools.

Just don't steal any of the jobs I'm going for.



And speaking of which, the scanner's quiet, there are no more briefs on injured skiers to put through so my job is done for the day and I'm off home.

 

[AndrewM]

To be fair, you don't necessarily get to pick and choose what you write in print media (unless you own the paper/magazine) which is where a lot of prospective journalists get frustrated.

The other thing people need to be able to do is partially temper their own opinion (or completely temper it if they are writing general news like I do) which a lot of people find hard.

I certainly think you have the makings of going alright in the industry. I think you've got my email now if you want to ask about the good journo schools.

Just don't steal any of the jobs I'm going for.



And speaking of which, the scanner's quiet, there are no more briefs on injured skiers to put through so my job is done for the day and I'm off home.

I appreciate the thoughts mate. Will drop you an email sometime. Cheers

 

[Langeveldt]

Speaking from an England/SA p.o.v

Runs
Taunton is the best ground for batting in the world, like an even smaller A.R.G you'd be silly not to capitalize
Highest scoring grounds in SA are Sedgers Park, Potchefstroom and Supersport Park, Centurion.. And probably have the best player facilities in the world.. Obviously useless because it always rains in Pretoria

All round
I'd say the Brit Oval in London comes up with the best games in the UK.. Its usually dry, and gives assistance to the spinners, but has a quick outfield and is high scoring..
New Wanderers, Jo'Burg - Harshest atmosphere in a cricket ground outside of India usually gets the players going, provides movement and lift for the quicks, and usually settles down into a belter, especially with the "hot and high" climate..

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I really like Headingley, as far as England goes. You never know what it's going to do... and I'm a fan of varying pitches. Plus it's produced many great test matches over the years.

Liked what I saw from Old Trafford yesterday, for the same reasons.

 

[Richard]

I'd say the Brit Oval in London comes up with the best games in the UK.. Its usually dry, and gives assistance to the spinners

In domestic games, maybe, but when was the last time we had a spin-friendly Oval pitch in a Test-match?
1997 probably?

 

[Richard]

I believe the WACA is home to the most exicting cricket.

Well if you call exciting opening-up the doors for short-pitched bowling and high bounce to become wicket-taking weapons and regular three-day Test-matches, then, yes.

 

[King_Ponting]

Yeh but its 3 days of exciting cricket!!!! And a bit of a change from the flat trackers dished up elsewhere. And a few of the closest OD matches have been played at the WACA

 

[PY]

Well if you call exciting opening-up the doors for short-pitched bowling and high bounce to become wicket-taking weapons and regular three-day Test-matches, then, yes.

You'd prefer a road then?

I've not seen much of it but from what you say then maybe that'd be a good thing, short-pitched bowling and high bounce should be something that a batsman has to deal with. As long as it's not variable bounce to a dangerous level then bounce and carry is an integral part of cricket.

Having said all of this, I know next to nothing of detail of the ground and I take it back if it's a variable bouncer.

 

[PY]

PS Headingley is my favourite I reckon for reasons already specified.

Though my home town ground at Colchester got me into cricket when Goochie came there and dispatched the ball to all parts on the only occasion I managed to get to see him before I moved up north.

 

[Richard]

You'd prefer a road then?

I've not seen much of it but from what you say then maybe that'd be a good thing, short-pitched bowling and high bounce should be something that a batsman has to deal with. As long as it's not variable bounce to a dangerous level then bounce and carry is an integral part of cricket.

Having said all of this, I know next to nothing of detail of the ground and I take it back if it's a variable bouncer.

The WACA is very well known for producing very few uneven pitches.
I don't honestly know what I'd prefer out of a WACA-typical and a flat pitch... I hate seeing bounce become a wicket-taking weapon in itself, but it doesn't do any real harm for just a single match (and there's nowhere remotely comparable to a typical WACA pitch in World cricket).

 

[Richard]

Yeh but its 3 days of exciting cricket!!!! And a bit of a change from the flat trackers dished up elsewhere. And a few of the closest OD matches have been played at the WACA

3 days of exciting cricket? Sometimes. At other times it approaches farce (Pakistan 1999\2000, Pakistan 2004\05, England 2002\03).