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I love how some are slamming this pitch 3 years before a ball is bowled.
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WACA Wallys
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Every single drop in wicket in the country is objectively bad and makes for dull cricket.
Why would the Perth stadium be any different?
It's not like the other states don't say the same words about how it's a competitive pitch that aids both the batsmen and the bowlers.
Why assume the pitch will be any good?
We only have forty years of drop-in pitches to go off of.
We always hear 'oh, but the technology is getting better all the time', and yet the results keep staying the same. A drop-in pitch is never going to be able to retain the characteristics of a properly laid permanent pitch.
http://www.waca.com.au/vision2030/
I wouldnt be surprised if down the line, in the same way the AFL has moved away from ANZ back solely to the SCG, the WACA withdraw some fixtures from PS back to the WACA, such as all ODIs and the South African test. In the meantime the WACA needs a complete facelift and the plans do look impressive.
I wouldnt be surprised if down the line, in the same way the AFL has moved away from ANZ back solely to the SCG, the WACA withdraw some fixtures from PS back to the WACA, such as all ODIs and the South African test. In the meantime the WACA needs a complete facelift and the plans do look impressive.
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Edited for accuracy. MCG and AO aren't too bad but ANZ's and Spotless' are shockers.
Yes, in an ideal world. But the question is who pays for it? I can completely understand the state government POV saying we just spent over a billion dollars building a brand new stadium with all associated public transport links etc, and now you want us to spend more money upgrading your ground, why can't you move to the new stadium?
I can understand too the cricket point about the unique pitch conditions and tradition, but I'm a taxpayer too. We don't live in an ideal world, and compromises have to be made somewhere. The WACA itself in its current form is not ideal either.
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Cricket, particularly Test cricket, should be understood to be more art than business.
A taxpayer subsidised art, or one that can pay it's own way?
The MCG and AO are pretty bad and I hope the Perth Stadium pitch is a lot better than they are.
The thought just occurred to me... what are they going to do about the pitch and centre-wicket area if the WAFC co-locate to the ground and play one WAFL game per week there?
Will they keep the hard centre-wicket area, or install drop-ins at the WACA ground itself?? The centre-wicket area was always a bone of contention between between footy & cricket when the Eagles and Dockers played there. It was one of the reasons why they redeveloped Subi.
Will they keep the hard centre-wicket area, or install drop-ins at the WACA ground itself?? The centre-wicket area was always a bone of contention between between footy & cricket when the Eagles and Dockers played there. It was one of the reasons why they redeveloped Subi.
hitthepost
Norm Smith Medallist
AO's pitch is 2 seasons old and already performs very similarly to the one it replaced. It's a little lower and slower but less so in 2014/15 than it was in 2013/14. How is that bad, if they've redplaced a day-5 result wicket with another day-5 result wicket of similar properties?
I'd be very surprised if the WAFC had the weight or the want to get drop-ins at the WACA. State-level football plays on cricket squares all the time (here in SA, Prospect, Glenelg, Woodville, Unley have pitch blocks).
The Adelaide Oval pitch replaced an Adelaide Oval pitch that was already a dull road with 5 day test matches solely because of declarations
Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane play their cricket on their AFL ground - why shouldn't Perth?
The WACA doesn't have a special geological soil type under it, lol. It can be replicated a few hundred metres away at the new stadium in the same dry climate, and with the same soil.
As much as I love the WACA and it being a cricket ground as opposed to a stadium, cricket needs to leave whilst it is brought up to scratch.
Which by the way will be never.
Don't be fooled by 'ideas' for 'boutique' redevelopment. They 'redeveloped' 13 years ago, adding scorching grass banks, demolishing a few stands etc. By 2030 I reckon they'll smash another one or two down so they can re-label the ground boutique instead of shit, and add in some tacky shadecloth that would belong at a Westfield carpark. Same old same old with this incompetent organisation.
The WACA doesn't have a special geological soil type under it, lol. It can be replicated a few hundred metres away at the new stadium in the same dry climate, and with the same soil.
As much as I love the WACA and it being a cricket ground as opposed to a stadium, cricket needs to leave whilst it is brought up to scratch.
Which by the way will be never.
Don't be fooled by 'ideas' for 'boutique' redevelopment. They 'redeveloped' 13 years ago, adding scorching grass banks, demolishing a few stands etc. By 2030 I reckon they'll smash another one or two down so they can re-label the ground boutique instead of shit, and add in some tacky shadecloth that would belong at a Westfield carpark. Same old same old with this incompetent organisation.
hitthepost
Norm Smith Medallist
The challenge is packing the dirt in to the drop-in tray so that it is as hard and compacted as the in-ground pitches at the WACA. You're trying to replicate a decades-old pitch that is surrounded by other pitches all rolled a million times and with root structures going deep into the ground, in a tray that is less than a foot deep and has no weight or support on the sides.
You can put the same dirt in but it's not going to be solid as a rock for quite a while coz it's not been used and rolled for year upon year, and it's only a fraction of the depth of compacted dirt you get if the pitch is in the ground without a tray.
This is how much dirt you get to compact to try and make a pitch as hard and bouncy as the WACA. I'm a believer in the ability to make a decent cricket wicket in a tray but I'm not sure you could get a bouncy, fast WACA or Gabba pitch as easily as a lower, slower AO or SCG one, that's for sure.
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From Business News https://www.businessnews.com.au/article/WACA-to-spend-200m-downsizing
WACA to spend $200m downsizing
The Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) has announced a $200 million redevelopment that will transition its ground to a 'boutique' venue designed to complement the new Perth Stadium, which will host all Big Bash League and major international matches.
The WACA Ground's capacity will drop to 15,000 and it will lose all BBL matches, along with one-day and test matches against India, England and South Africa, to Perth Stadium.
The decision was announced at the release of the WACA’s Vision 2030 report, which was created over 14-month period by a board-appointed committee headed by former iiNet chairman Michael Smith.
The blueprint for the WACA redevelopment involves new stands and more shade for spectators, new dedicated player facilities and training facilities, and a new administration block.
There is also scope for a possible future collaboration with the Western Australian Football Commission to allow WAFL games and finals to be played at the WACA during the winter.
WACA chief executive Christina Matthews said the discussions were at an early stage and no agreement had yet been made.
“We see it as a natural fit ... it would be a real boost for football in this state to be able to play games under lights within the city and the East Perth sporting precinct,” she said.
“We’re waiting for the commission to come back to us and be ready to start further negotiations.”
It’s believed the government is also looking to get in other sports at the WACAfor bigger events.
To fund the redevelopment, the WACA will be seeking commitments by the state and federal governments, Cricket Australia and Lotterywest, and is considering selling off a number of land assets it holds, which are valued at about $26 million.
WACA chairman Sam Gannon said that, in the board’s deliberations, to do nothing was not an option.
“The ground is deteriorating and it’s there for everybody to see,” he said.
“Eventually, the ground would be rejected by international cricket authorities as being fit to host international events.
“The WACA and Cricket Australia have agreed to schedule content to the new stadium, including the Big Bash League and home finals, one day internationals, tier one and tier two games (England, India and South Africa games),” Mr Gannon said.
Tier one and two test matches will also be scheduled at the new Perth Stadium.
“Research tells us that there’s a reasonable expectation that the future attendances at these games will be greater than the capacity of the WACAground,” Mr Gannon said.
He also said that after the ground was redeveloped, the venue would provide permanent capacity of up to 15,000 people - that’s at least 5,000 less than the ground’s current capacity.
“The WACA ground will continue to host Sheffield Shield cricket, one-day international cricket, tier two games (games that don’t involve India, England or South Africa) and tier three test matches,” Mr Gannon said.
“This is based on the expectation that those games would expect to receive less than 10,000-15,000 attendees.”
Ms Matthews said members of the WACA would have access to both venues without any additional costs, and would be exposed to more games more frequently.
The members seating area at Perth Stadium will be located on the northern side of the ground, behind the wicket.
“We currently have 8,000 members, and we look to be able to double that. The New Perth Stadium will be able to house 12,000 members,” she said.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the shift to Perth Stadium would be putting fans first.
“It will provide cricket with world-class facilities for patrons and players and further strengthen our position as Australia’s favourite sport,” he said.
“The popularity of cricket has never been greater in this state with different forms of the game capturing different demographics and markets.
“Having two world-class cricket grounds will be a tremendous boost for Australian and Western Australian cricket.”
The committee’s Vision 2030 report was assisted by advisory firm EY and architecture firm Cox Architects.
The first game of cricket to be played at Perth Stadium will be in 2018-19.
$200 million to play nothing there. Bargain.
hitthepost
Norm Smith Medallist
It's still no Adelaide Oval. Besides, general commentary has been that, yes, 10 years ago it died off a little, but in the last 5 years or so it's been much more akin to the pitch of old.
The Adelaide pitch of old is no different to the new one, a batting paradise with nothing in it for the quicks. Games rely on declarations and good spin bowling for a result. Always been the same. The only test every summer not worth tuning into until the second session on day 5. It is not a coincidence that most batsman say Adelaide is their favourite ground.
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I agree with moving all ODI's and T20s to the new ground but all tests IMO should have staued at the WACA. Think it's silly they only move it for certain opposition
hitthepost
Norm Smith Medallist
And the WACA, even when it slowed, was still no AO, which was my point
I know the AO pitch, I've seen 90% of every international there in the past decade.
hitthepost
Norm Smith Medallist
It makes sense to move it for opposition where the demand for tickets is big, but not for Tests against Bangladesh. It'd be silly to have a 60k stadium empty while they play England at the WACA and 25k can't get in.
And the WACA, even when it slowed, was still no AO, which was my point
I know the AO pitch, I've seen 90% of every international there in the past decade.
The WACA pitch at its worse is a much better cricket wicket than Adelaide. Only real top quality players perform well in Perth. In Adelaide average players are made to look like superstars because of the benign pitch.
I played quite a few times at Adelaide and it was the only place I wanted to fake an injury so I did not have to bowl on it. Roll your arm over and wait for the declaration.
Beautiful ground, generally great weather but for some reason every curator there thinks they have water rations. No reason grass can't grow there.
Yeah that's not happening.
If they were going to spend 200m they may as well upgrade the place so it can continue to host internationals.
