English Test Pitches

[Raymondo]

We must be the only country in world cricket who doesn’t actually have ‘home field advantage’.

When was the last time we genuinely got a run of games where the pitches completely suited what we wanted? It’s high time Tests were allocated based on favourability to the home side and not the home county’s coffers.

 

[Silly Point]

I'm not really sure what suits us these days tbh. Yes we may have caused them more problems with a bit of seam, but our lot can't bat when it's doing a bit either, especially with the quality of their bowlers

 

[Dexter]

To be fair can you imagine Crawley and Pope batting on a green top. Root would be back to opening the batting from number 4.

 

[rentaghost]

We must be the only country in world cricket who doesn’t actually have ‘home field advantage’.

When was the last time we genuinely got a run of games where the pitches completely suited what we wanted? It’s high time Tests were allocated based on favourability to the home side and not the home county’s coffers.

I think in recent years we have asked for flat pitches as Stokes / McCullum have believed they are what we need to chase down huge totals.

 

[Voice of fair play]

Actually think something should be done if at all possible to stop sides doing that.

Not sure how and hard task.

But it was beyond obvious after winning the first test in Pakistan, that they purposely and so obviously produced the biggest turning wickets possible for the next two tests, soo much so they were opening with spinners.

And India done more or the less the same in the test series over there, not the last one but the one before.

That was far too much the other way.

Do take the op point though as it puts at a disadvantage at times

 

[Raymondo]

I think in recent years we have asked for flat pitches as Stokes / McCullum have believed they are what we need to chase down huge totals.

They’ve asked for good decks with pace and bounce, I don’t think we got anything close to that until The Oval which probably did too much for their liking but ultimately was the best cricket pitch of the summer.

Mental that for the most important game of the series, where all we need is a draw, we get a sporty pitch.

If we’re anywhere else in the world we’re either getting an absolute road or something that turns square. We consistently get shafted by our own groundsmen/CEO’s and it’s so annoying.

Actually think something should be done if at all possible to stop sides doing that.

I disagree. Winning away SHOULD be hard. You want the WTC to be won by the team who is the most adaptable, who can go anywhere and everywhere and compete. I don’t want to see Test Cricket played on identikit pitches no matter where in the world they are.

That’s before you consider that certain places in the world just aren’t conducive to producing pitches that are a certain style - fast and bouncy, as an example.

 

[SuperSub]

Green tops don't suit this England side, looking at our batting lineup and best bowling attack a quick pitch with plenty of bounce would probably be ideal but historically English pitches, apart from Old Trafford lack pace.

I don't have a problem with home teams producing a pitch which gives them a slight advantage, however I'm not a fan of countries that produce wickets that lasts 2 days like those complete bunsen's in Pakistan. The best test pitches are the ones that provide an even contest between bat and ball.

 

[Voice of fair play]

They’ve asked for good decks with pace and bounce, I don’t think we got anything close to that until The Oval which probably did too much for their liking but ultimately was the best cricket pitch of the summer.

Mental that for the most important game of the series, where all we need is a draw, we get a sporty pitch.

If we’re anywhere else in the world we’re either getting an absolute road or something that turns square. We consistently get shafted by our own groundsmen/CEO’s and it’s so annoying.


I disagree. Winning away SHOULD be hard. You want the WTC to be won by the team who is the most adaptable, who can go anywhere and everywhere and compete. I don’t want to see Test Cricket played on identikit pitches no matter where in the world they are.

That’s before you consider that certain places in the world just aren’t conducive to producing pitches that are a certain style - fast and bouncy, as an example.

Yeah I agree up to a point winning should be harder away.

However I think in the two series I mentioned it was too much soo.

To produce wickets that turn loads from ball one and two spinners both open and do all the bowling is tipping that balance from hard to near enough impossible.

 

[mackembhoy]

We must be the only country in world cricket who doesn’t actually have ‘home field advantage’.

When was the last time we genuinely got a run of games where the pitches completely suited what we wanted? It’s high time Tests were allocated based on favourability to the home side and not the home county’s coffers.

ECB are a bunch of greedy bastards so that's never going to change.

100% record at the peoples home of cricket CLS. The so called "Fortress Edgbaston" is now where we go to lose!

 

[Provider]

I disagree. Winning away SHOULD be hard. You want the WTC to be won by the team who is the most adaptable, who can go anywhere and everywhere and compete. I don’t want to see Test Cricket played on identikit pitches no matter where in the world they are.

That’s before you consider that certain places in the world just aren’t conducive to producing pitches that are a certain style - fast and bouncy, as an example.

There should definitely be some advantage for playing at home but we need to stop it going too far.

In the Ryder Cup there's been one away win in 20 years and one of the factors is the way the home teams have set the course up. Not sure that's great for the event and when teams produce extreme conditions in home tests that's not great for test cricket.

 

[seaham ftm]

Going to be very interesting what the pitches look like in Australia. Been very bowler friendly the last few years.

 

[Inside Forward]

Been a very dry spring and summer so maybe that has something to do with it? I’ve never known a summer like it in England where bowlers have looked so ineffective. Even the great Bumrah was getting carted to all parts in Manchester.

Just been a perfect storm of hot dry weather for a sustained period and a Dukes ball that has fallen to pieces after 20 overs.