SCG - a cricket ground

[jono2707]

Blood fever, you don't even live in Sydney.

Barry, you don't even go to any matches at the SCG.

It's a cricket ground first and foremost, and it's also our home. Most of us fans love the SCG, even with its idiosyncrasies and limitations.

[erica]

Article by Malcolm Knox in today's SMH

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soul-patch-saving-the-scg-pitch-a-matter-of-the-heart-20190705-p524fs.html

[Blood Fever]

Article by Malcolm Knox in today's SMH

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soul-pa...05-p524fs.html

Excellent article. I'm with Malcolm

[barry]

Excellent article. I'm with Malcolm

Emotional drivel. The ground has been resurfaced so many times, there would hadly be a sod left that was graced by bradman. tony Lockett kicked his record goal from the forward line not the centre wicket.

I stand with the swans on this. Cricket NSW needs to grow up.

Btw, I play cricket and love the game.

[Blood Fever]

Emotional drivel. The ground has been resurfaced so many times, there would hadly be a sod left that was graced by bradman. tony Lockett kicked his record goal from the forward line not the centre wicket.

I stand with the swans on this. Cricket NSW needs to grow up.

Btw, I play cricket and love the game.

Where's your romance for the game?

[MattW]

Where's your romance for the game?

I have romance for the game. Like bloodspirit, I am most interested in domestic first class cricket. The commercialised version of international cricket has lost a lot of its appeal for me.

But I think the mystique of the spinning SCG test strip is overblown. It's dirt and grass. Like barry says, it's been relaid. If it does have unique characteristics then these can be replicated by putting that dirt and grass in modern pitch containers.

It seems archaic to me to play footy on a cricket pitch at the scg.

[Blood Fever]

I have romance for the game. Like bloodspirit, I am most interested in domestic first class cricket. The commercialised version of international cricket has lost a lot of its appeal for me.

But I think the mystique of the spinning SCG test strip is overblown. It's dirt and grass. Like barry says, it's been relaid. If it does have unique characteristics then these can be replicated by putting that dirt and grass in modern pitch containers.

It seems archaic to me to play footy on a cricket pitch at the scg.

Didn't seem too archaic watching Roos v Saints today at Blundstone Arena with the cricket square clearly visible. Very free flowing game.

[mcs]

6 of one, half a dozen of the other in terms of a drop in pitch or not. I can see both sides of the argument, though from a purely selfish perspective I'd like it gone for AFL footy. But I like cricket too - and I do think the pitch isn't anywhere near what it once was in terms of its 'individuality'.

If anyone wants to see though what drives decision making at the ground, look at the design of the new Noble/Bradman Stand on the top level - with that ridiculous open section at the top of the stand. I understand solely at the purvey of cricket's want (and it may well be reasonable) to ensure adequate wind flow through to help with cricket pitch growth (and perhaps turf growth too?). All fine and good - a breeze in summer not an issue. Can be like the bludy arctic circle up there in winter at times though - really unsuitable on windy days for watching footy. Not even hard one to solve - lots and lots of grounds overseas have solved the need for wind flow with the need to maximise comfort for all patrons. But it seems only cricket was at the forefront of thinking.

Makes me think the bit about not having an area wide enough for a pitch to be bought in for drop in pitches is not just a coincidence.

[ernie koala]

Barry, you don't even go to any matches at the SCG.

It's a cricket ground first and foremost, and it's also our home. Most of us fans love the SCG, even with its idiosyncrasies and limitations.

+1

[Blood Fever]

6 of one, half a dozen of the other in terms of a drop in pitch or not. I can see both sides of the argument, though from a purely selfish perspective I'd like it gone for AFL footy. But I like cricket too - and I do think the pitch isn't anywhere near what it once was in terms of its 'individuality'.

If anyone wants to see though what drives decision making at the ground, look at the design of the new Noble/Bradman Stand on the top level - with that ridiculous open section at the top of the stand. I understand solely at the purvey of cricket's want (and it may well be reasonable) to ensure adequate wind flow through to help with cricket pitch growth (and perhaps turf growth too?). All fine and good - a breeze in summer not an issue. Can be like the bludy arctic circle up there in winter at times though - really unsuitable on windy days for watching footy. Not even hard one to solve - lots and lots of grounds overseas have solved the need for wind flow with the need to maximise comfort for all patrons. But it seems only cricket was at the forefront of thinking.

Makes me think the bit about not having an area wide enough for a pitch to be bought in for drop in pitches is not just a coincidence.

Pretty sure it wasn't a coincidence - showed a lot of forethought and insight into the rapacious nature of the AFL.

[barry]

Barry, you don't even go to any matches at the SCG.

It's a cricket ground first and foremost, and it's also our home. Most of us fans love the SCG, even with its idiosyncrasies and limitations.

While "many" may love the SCG and the swans being the poor cousin tenant of the ground, there are more than a few that share my views.
Whatever way you look at it, we will loose a few fans over the long term by being crickets b1tch.
The SCG is tired already. Imagine what it will be like in 2047.

[Blood Fever]

While "many" may love the SCG and the swans being the poor cousin tenant of the ground, there are more than a few that share my views.
Whatever way you look at it, we will loose a few fans over the long term by being crickets b1tch.
The SCG is tired already. Imagine what it will be like in 2047.

So you want to get rid of the two old beautiful stands as well?

[barry]

So you want to get rid of the two old beautiful stands as well?

What a weird thing to say. Are they blocking the drop in pitches ?

[KTigers]

I think the only original parts of the SCG left are the Members Stand, and the Ladies Stand. The rest of stands are bog standard
stadium fare, neither bad or good. Don't quite understand why they couldn't get all the "new" stands to match. Money, presumably.
I agree with MCS re the gap at the top of the Noble/Bradman. I figure it's meant to be a breezeway (in summer) but it also looks
like they couldn't afford to pay for the back wall to go all the way to the top. I think all the soil and turf was replaced when they
put the new drainage system in five or six years ago.

[AnnieH]

While "many" may love the SCG and the swans being the poor cousin tenant of the ground, there are more than a few that share my views.
Whatever way you look at it, we will loose a few fans over the long term by being crickets b1tch.
The SCG is tired already. Imagine what it will be like in 2047.

"Tired"??
There are two brand new stands, with the O'Rielly stand going next. What more do you want?
The member's and ladie's stands are heritage listed. They're going nowhere.
You don't even go to the SCG, so what's your point here?