Frank Gregan believes that the decision to stage the first Test of this summer's Ashes series at the Swalec Stadium amounts to lunacy. However, the news that Brett Lee might miss the Cardiff Test, cheers our man up.

The waiting is almost over - the event of the year is about to begin. Like children waiting for Santa, the English cricketing public are now counting the hours down to the start of the Ashes series. Everything is in place and optimism is high in both camps, the only thing that just doesn't feel right is the venue. It's a bit like the kids going to the movies rather than a pantomime at Christmas or visiting Scotland instead of Lapland. It's wrong!

Lord's should be the venue for the first test of an Ashes series and this move to Cardiff is daft. The Ashes are steeped in tradition and with both nations considering it to be the pinnacle of test cricket, the first test match is worthy of much more salubrious surroundings than SWALEC Stadium.

It is of course the England and Wales cricket board and one must not forget the fantastic contribution made to English cricket in the past by the Welsh. Players of the calibre of err.... There must be some Welshmen out there who has had a huge impact on the international game but at this juncture their names escape me!

Okay, there has been a few over the years who have won caps - Simon Jones and Robert Croft spring to mind and perhaps a few lesser lights but the Welsh have hardly contributed a production line of talent to the ECB. The Welsh have produced legends in other sports but when it comes to cricket their cupboard is barer than Old Mother Hubburd's in a recession! There is a reason for this - the Welsh don´t like cricket - yet the ECB have been crackers enough to award them the first test!

This lunacy has not gone unnoticed in cricket legend land and there have been a few cutting comments aimed at the ECB. Shane Warne said: "The first Test match should always be at Lord's. How Cardiff gets the first Test match in the Ashes is just a disgrace."

You tell 'em Warney, no sitting on the fence for our text sending convict cousin - in fairness it might be difficult to find a fence to take his weight!

Michael Atherton, who is normally as disrespectful as a galley slave on his last warning, chipped in with: "It shows a complete lack of ambition that you're putting an Ashes Test match in a ground that's going to hold 12 or 15,000 people. It's a joke."

Atherton got the capacity wrong, it is 16000 but the sentiment is correct - the decision stinks!

The news coming out of the Aussie camp is that Brett Lee could miss the first test with a rib injury and that coupled with the slightly better form shown by England during their warm up game has caused the Australians to drift to [2.0] in the Test Series Winner market. Lee is a vital member of the Australian pace attack but they do have a like for like replacement (albeit with much less experience) in Ben Hilfenhaus.

The Aussies' current price of [2.0] is the biggest price they have been for months and represents amazing value. I have lumped on the Aussies since the turn of the year and I'll add a few bob more to the portfolio at that price. When I collect I intend to treat myself to a trip to a cricket playing venue, Antigua, Barbados, Sydney or perhaps Johannesburg would be nice. One thing is for sure - I´ll be giving Cardiff a miss!

Comments (1)

1. fry | 07 July 2009

   What a howler; of course the Welsh enjoy cricket.

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