Australia killing test cricket with their flat pitches.

[Ram]

Kotla has been under renovation for many years and it's possible some sections were closed. Look at the crowd at Kotla the day Kumble took 10 wickets - it was full.

Nope, those stands werent closed. They were half-full.

Test cricket is never going to give you full houses like ODIs and T20s anywhere in the world for the simple fact that it is a sport stretching across 5 days.

Not true. If I am right, The first 3 days in Adelaide in the Ashes series were sold out, so was the case in Perth. MCG is going to be sold out for the first day of the Boxing day test. I actually remember Richie Benaud remaking during commentary that he has ‘never seen so many people for a day of cricket in Adelaide…’ I have seen numerous tests in England that were 'sold-out' in the literal sense, not the 50%-80% capacity that you are talking about.

I have watched matches in the stadium during the 80s and 90s and even then the stadiums were never full houses in the literal sense for Test matches, unless it was some special day. The reason is simple - a lot of people get complimentary tickets and don't show up unless there is some special action going on. Even during the days of my father watching cricket in the stadium, it was never a full house unless it was some special day. A regular full house of test cricket is around 80% of the capacity.

That could well be, but my assertion is, that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you think it does. In this thread alone, already two posters who have been to the test matches held in the very centres you’re referring to (Kanpur, B’lore), have confirmed from first-hand accounts that the stadia were nowhere close to capacity.

[The Outsider]

in the last 10 years there have been 3 test matches in Kanpur and I've been to all of them (1 against Sri Lanka and 2 against South Africa and I could'nt see the crowds in any of these matches) while the stadium was overflowing with people during the 2 ODIs I have been to in Kanpur (against Pak in 2005 - where Afridi hit 9 sixes on his way to 102 :(( and again one match against Pak in 2007).

Kanpur went through a bit of a lull period in the 00s. But the last match there against Sri Lanka was full. And if you want to see a brimming Kanpur stadium search for Azhar's 163 against South Africa in 1996. I was there in the crowd and can vouch that the stadium was full.

[Sachin=GOD]

Nope, those stands werent closed. They were half-full. Not true. If I am right, The first 3 days in Adelaide in the Ashes series were sold out, so was the case in Perth. MCG is going to be sold out for the first day of the Boxing day test. I actually remember Richie Benaud remaking during commentary that he has ‘never seen so many people for a day of cricket in Adelaide…’

This is because the Ashes is the only cricket series that's very, very highly advertised in Aus and obviously there's the history and all those things concerned with the Ashes, so its usually full but earlier this year the total attendance for the 3 Aus-Sri Lanka ODIs was about 39000 and for the T20 was 5845. http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=1238861&postcount=98 and even better, here's a record of Test match attendance in Aus in last 2 years - shows a declining trend: http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=1239447&postcount=128

[The Outsider]

Nope, those stands werent closed. They were half-full.

Well, the video evidence is in front of you. Ganguly is bowling early in the morning, Pakistan are batting and the stadium looks pretty full to me.

Not true. If I am right, The first 3 days in Adelaide in the Ashes series were sold out, so was the case in Perth. MCG is going to be sold out for the first day of the Boxing day test. I actually remember Richie Benaud remaking during commentary that he has ‘never seen so many people for a day of cricket in Adelaide…’

The Ashes are one of the biggest sporting events in Australia and England. Look at the crowds in Australia last year when Pakistan and West Indies toured for the other end of the spectrum. There were many articles about how having 2 low profile teams in the same summer has hurt revenues of the grounds.

I have seen numerous tests in England that were 'sold-out' in the literal sense, not the 50%-80% capacity that you are talking about.

England, I agree, has better test match crowds than anywhere in the world on average. Australia's test crowds are not significantly different from India's bigger centers though.

That could well be, but my assertion is, that doesn’t happen nearly as often as you think it does. In this thread alone, already two posters who have been to the test matches held in the very centres you’re referring to (Kanpur, B’lore), have confirmed from first-hand accounts that the stadia were nowhere close to capacity.

Fair enough. They look pretty full on TV though and there are many videos available to back my assertion, which is the only evidence I have to go by on. And unlike Australian grounds, don't think official figures are published for attendances in Indian grounds.

[Guest Hiten.]

Of course I am not being naïve. In most of the Tier-II centres, the combined attendance of 5 days for a test match does not even add up to the single day attendance of a T20/ODI. Trust me, if people want to go to a cricket match in India, they will. FFS, we’re a country that packs stadia to full capacity 2 hours before a 8.30 am start in winters. I am sorry, but your portrayal of the problem of poor attendances for test matches as some sort of direct consequences of logistical challenges just isn’t true. It’s a question of spectator interest, plain and simple.

You can deny the importance of a reliable transportation facility, but it is one of the deciding factors that FIFA take into consideration when they elect a hosting nation for their WC event. You have to understand that in India, not many drive and are totally dependent on the local bus, train services and I am sure you know how our services operate. And mind you, we're only talking about the metro cities' commutation. Stadia out of metro cities are remotely based and it makes it impossible for the fans to travel if they are to depend on their local transport means. Also, how many test matches (in full) have you managed to watch on TV ignoring your daily routine ?

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Ram]

You can deny the importance of a reliable transportation facility, but it is one of the deciding factors that FIFA take into consideration when they elect a hosting nation for their WC event. You have to understand that in India, not many drive and are totally dependent on the local bus, train services and I am sure you know how our services operate. And mind you, we're only talking about the metro cities' commutation. Stadia out of metro cities are remotely based and it makes it impossible for the fans to travel if they are to depend on their local transport means. Also, how many test matches (in full) have you managed to watch on TV ignoring your daily routine ?

I honestly cant figure what relevance your points in reg. to logistics and transportation have to match attendances, when the same does not seem to matter at all during ODIs and T20s. Reg. the 2nd question – Several, as long as I could manage it (for eg, on weekends, holidays etc.) If anything, I watch a lot more of test cricket and than ODIs or T20s these days.

[EnterTheVoid]

Australia is ONE of the BEST places in the world to watch cricket. The experience is absolutely top notch.

[Guest Hiten.]

Australia is ONE of the BEST places in the world to watch cricket. The experience is absolutely top notch.

How many other places have you been to ?

[Zelig]

How many other places have you been to ?

:haha:

[EnterTheVoid]

How many other places have you been to ?

In Australia, all the cricket grounds: 1. Melbourne Cricket Ground 2. Sydney Cricket Ground 3. Adelaide Oval 4. WACA ground 5. Gabba 6. Bellereive Oval Hobart I've been to all the major cricket playing grounds with enough frequency to know what to and what not to expect when watching a cricket match.

[King Tendulkar]

:hysterical:

How many other places have you been to ?

[Zelig]

In Australia, all the cricket grounds: 1. Melbourne Cricket Ground 2. Sydney Cricket Ground 3. Adelaide Oval 4. WACA ground 5. Gabba 6. Bellereive Oval Hobart I've been to all the major cricket playing grounds with enough frequency to know what to and what not to expect when watching a cricket match.

All these grounds are in Oz :hmmm: but you said -

Australia is ONE of the BEST places in the world to watch cricket. The experience is absolutely top notch.

:dontknow:

[punjabi_khota]

England joins the club. Gazillion runs and the so called FTBs making merry

[Zelig]

But England is unique. It just takes a couple of hours to swing the match in one side's favor.

[King Tendulkar]

But England is unique. It just takes a couple of hours to swing the match in one side's favor.

So the myths continue

[King Tendulkar]

Sree Aus you watching? empty seats everywhere in Brisbane. Seems I was right, another debate won:yay:

[panther]

indian pitches are the flattest in the world even flatter than uae there not technicallly the flattest but made to be

[achilles]

Sree Aus you watching? empty seats everywhere in Brisbane. Seems I was right, another debate won:yay:

Racist alert :phehehe:

[carnish]

Sree Aus you watching? empty seats everywhere in Brisbane. Seems I was right, another debate won:yay:

watch out for the seats when india play at the SCG or the MCG