Little Kenya in the Top End

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 11:42 am

What an historic morning the first ever test at Marrara Stadium. Watching it you could swear this was being played in one of the smaller grounds in kenya, with the flimsy covering and small stadium, but the large impressive stand of Marrara made it easily recognisable as being played in Darwin. Although the atmosphere is a bit dull, due to the fact of very little cricket knowledge up there. And it is the first test to be played at Marrara. The ground really looks like being played in kenya especially the bush that surrounds the stadium its a bit laughable, that Im watching cricket at a stadium that really is not of the standard of the other cricket grounds in Australia, but regular tests should see more redevelopment and a better stadium. I would say Bundaberg Rum Stadium will be the better stadium. Simply due to the fact Darwin has a large modern stand but the rest of the stadium is primitive, Bundaberg Rum will be consistent, Im wary of rain though, it seems Cairns are getting alot of rain in there dry season of late. Should be finished by tommorow, the aussies will be looking to have as big a break as possible. About 13,500 people at the stadium, a bit dissapointing really.

Tonic · Post by **Tonic** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:03 pm

You need to put it into perspective. There are only 90,000 residents in all of the Darwin area, thus 15% of Darwin's population is at the cricket. Hardly dissapointing I would have thought. That's like getting 165,000 to the first day of a test in Adelaide, 525,000 lining up to get into the MCG ..... etc.

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 1:28 pm

For the first test match ever at Darwin you would expect a sell out for the first day no matter how big your population is, people from other parts of australia, tourists would be there and so really they should have got to the match. They got 17,500 people to an AFL match, maybe the one dayers they will sell out the stadium. Tonic are you going to the test match in Cairns? Should be a better atmosphere as it is in a cricketing state and they have a player to cheer for in Matthew Hayden. No local product from Northern Territory in this present match. Does Cairns have a bigger population then Darwin? What would be the best ground to hold a Test match in Townsville. Are there any as good as the oval shaped Bundaberg Rum Stadium.

Tonic · Post by **Tonic** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 4:09 pm

Townsville is Australia's largest tropical city with about 145,000, while Cairns has about 120,000 with a booming tourist industry. Unfortunately, Townsville is just about as die hard Rugby League as it gets. They don't even like Union really. Cairns on the other hand probably has one of the strongest regional AFL comps. anywhere outside Victoria with the AFL probably being as popular as the NRL. The only outdoor stadium in Townsville of any quality is Dairy Farmers which is rectangular. Although there's probably not huge depth in the Cairns comp with only 7 teams I think, the AFL has really jumped on the bandwagon in Cairns having pumped in the order of millions of dollars into the development of the Cairns AFL recently, and Bundaberg Rum stadium which is the home of Cairns AFL and has become the quality stadium in Cairns as a result hosting a Preseason Cup match each year. There's quite a rivalry between the two cities, so I think there are plans within the next few years for a quality oval to be built from scratch in Townsville. The main reason would be to host domestic and international cricket, but would be a huge boost for aussie rules in Townsville which has a scrappy standard 5 team AFL comp. of which I play in.
I'll probably head to Cairns for a one-dayer.

Jeffles · Post by **Jeffles** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 8:21 pm

For the first test match ever at Darwin you would expect a sell out for the first day no matter how big your population is, people from other parts of australia, tourists would be there and so really they should have got to the match

I think it is a good crowd. Also Egan, you may be overestimating the outside visitors contribution. Darwin is hard to get to and it isn't an ideal time of year to travel. Sure it's school holidays but how many parents get time off this time of year. Also, it is a Test match. If it were a one dayer and it didn't sell out I'd be worried.

They got 17,500 people to an AFL match

I'd say Aussie Rules would be way more popular in the Territory than cricket.

Although the atmosphere is a bit dull, due to the fact of very little cricket knowledge up there

I don't think so. More the small crowd than anything making things quiet. Cricket is well established up there. I don't think local boy Damien Martyn would've made much of a difference.

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 8:34 pm

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 10:25 pm

Crowd: 6,238 (42%)

Now everyone I think this i disgraceful, i mean how many people in Darwin actualy knew that a test match was on? 6,238 this is disgraceful for a historic first ever test, no wonder the stadium was dull. They knew nothing about cricket. Jeffles Martyn was born in NT but grew up in W.A, learnt how to play cricket in W.A so I would class him as a West Australian. The media must be in a time warp, I bet Cairns will be a sell out. It has nothing to do with the population every thing to do with how many people actualy watch sport and in the Northern Territory from that attendance do not watch sport. Hmm I would think major Towns such as Katherine, Tennant Creek and even Palmerston which is just down the road. Jeffles how hard is it to get to Darwin, die hard australian cricket fans would have wanted to go to this test match realistically there would have been a 1,000 from that total which did not live in Darwin. That means 5,238 people where from Darwin population, in my eyes a disgrace to Australian cricket. Lets hope tommorow they get a bigger crowd. And they sell the one dayer out, which seems most unlikely judging by todays crowd.

Mr J · Post by **Mr J** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 11:00 pm

Yuve got to remember that this test match isnt exactly the most exciting clash. Bangladesh are pretty crap so not that many people are going to go watch them play anyone really. If u were to play it at the MCG u wouldnt get big crowds, i would estimate the crowd would be doubled if a more high profile team was playing.

Marrara does look a bit primitive with its steel light towers and bush around it, though impressive for a city of only 90 000 people.

guy41 · Post by **guy41** » Sat Jul 19, 2003 9:07 pm

Maybe if they put the test on during the cricket season a bigger crowd would have come out? And how come Canberra has never had a test match?

Egan · Post by **Egan** » Mon Jul 21, 2003 8:47 pm

The need for Canberra to become a Test hosting venue is not there. The five venues the WACA, Adelaide Oval. MCG. SCG and the GABBA and the part time test venue in Hobart do the job nicely. There simply isnt the demand or neccesity to get another stadium to test class as it would have to be played in the traditional australian summer. The reason Cairns and Darwin have got a test match. Is due to there climate nothing else. Add to Canberras poor showing to any match other then Rugby Union that adds to the reason, for not having a test match in a city dominated by public servants. Bangladesh didnt play that bad I thought ? That would be a small reason. ,ajor reason is they just dont follow cricket as it is not a cricketing place, they only support one thing AFL.