When Australian skipper Steve Smith tosses the coin tomorrow, and South African Faf du Plessis calls, it will be the start of the 43rd Test at the WACA, the last one against a big cricketing nation at the famous ground.
Next year the Ashes Test could well be played at the yet to be completed Perth Stadium at Burswood with a seating capacity of 60,000, well in advance of the WACA ground record of 34,317 for an AFL preliminary final clash in 1994 between the Eagles and Melbourne.
All following internationals against South Africa and India will be moved to Perth Stadium, although matches against smaller cricketing nations – those which are expected to draw a crowd of less than 15,000 per day – will remain at the WACA.
There will be many memories from the WACA, starting with the first Ashes Test in 1970 where England’s opening batman Brian Luckhurst scored the first century, but it was Greg Chappell on debut who grabbed the headlines.
He was in the 90s when the ABC crossed to a rural report and returned live after Chappell had passed his century. The ABC switchboard went into meltdown when thousands of angry cricket lovers rang to complain.
While Luckhurst’s 131 off 301 deliveries was the first at the famous ground, Adam Voges’ 119 off 240 in 2015 was the last of 83 centurions.
The highest was Matt Hayden’s then-world record 380 off 437 against Zimbabwe in October 2003.
The first ODI century honour belongs to West Indian left-hander Larry Gomes with 101 off 89 on 2 February 1985.
The last of 25 ODI centuries was Steve Smith’s 149 off 135 last summer against India.
The best bowling belongs to two Australian pace legends – Glenn McGrath, and Dennis Lillee.
McGrath’s 8-24 against Pakistan was in 2004, while Lillee’s 8-29 against the Rest of the World was in 1971.
Giant West Indian Curtley Ambrose came close. At one stage he had 7-1, ending up with 7-25 against Australia in 1993.
The two Test hat-tricks belong to Australians Merv Hughes, and McGrath.
Hughes’ was against the West Indies in 1981, McGrath’s was also against the Windies in 2000, and included his 300th Test wicket.
But there are many other magic memories of the WACA, such as Doug Walters’ massive six in 1974 off Bob Willis’ last delivery of the day, that gave Walters a century in the session.
In 1975, West Indian opening batsman Roy Fredericks smashed a Test ton off 70 deliveries on his way to 160, the biggest score at the time at the WACA by a visitor.
England’s only win at the WACA was a Test in 1978 where David Gower scored 108 and Rodney Hogg captured ten wickets.
In 1979, Lillee strode to the crease with an aluminium bat. After ten minutes and three runs, England captain Mike Brearley complained the bat was damaging the ball, and the umpires forced Lillee to bat with the traditional willow.
Lillee was again involved in 1981 with his toe to toe confrontation with Pakistani Javed Miandad. Lillee was fined and suspended for two matches, but ‘Mum and Dad’ got off scot free.
In 1990, NSW twins Steve and Mark Waugh shared an unbroken 454-run partnership that is still the Sheffield Shield record. Western Australians Adam Voges and Liam Davis shared a 343-run partnership in 2012 against NSW.
In 2006, Adam Gilchrist blasted a Test ton in 57 deliveries, at the time just one delivery more than Viv Richards’ world record, set in 1985.
In more recent times, David Warner has played two epic innings – a Test ton in 69 deliveries in 2012 against India, and 253 last summer against New Zealand, where Ross Taylor at last played a superb dig of 290 for the Kiwis.
So the Test starting tomorrow at the WACA has plenty to live up to in a three-Test series that means so much to both sides.
Correction: This article originally stated the Test against South Africa will be the final Test at the WACA. This has now been corrected.
In Brief
Guest
It's funny, I used to be a cricket tragic but don't watch much anymore. The other night I saw the test highlights from the WACA and the images brought back so many memories of what cricket meant to me and suddenly I felt kind of hooked again. So when I saw this article I thought 'what the....' Shame.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
The AFL are basically making this new stadium in Perth viable, you don't think they'd like to launch the new stadium with a Wsetern Derby sellout? Well, I can tell you, of course that's what they want. Given that they're the ones paying for this place year by year, they'll get what they want IMO.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
I don't think it'll be ready for an Ashes Test next year - unless maybe it's the last Test of the Summer which could make it a dead rubber. Would you really want the first major event at a new stadium to be a dead rubber? I doubt it. I doubt it'll be ready by October/November to be an early test.
Beny Iniesta
Guest
It is simply a fact that none of the clubs that have played games at Etihad have either merged or relocated. More scaremongering really.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Basically this. It's an indulgence to the crusty old traditionalists and they'll junk it after a few years when no-one bothers going along to the WACA. Once spectators are introduced to the modern world at Burswood they're not going to want to go hang out in 1972 at the WACA anymore. Maybe if the pitch still was what it was in 1972, but that's not happening either.
anon
Guest
For a few seasons they'll play the "low drawing" tests at the WACA, but then they'll just move them all to Perth Stadium. No ODI's, no Big Bash, just some Shield matches and a test against Sri Lanka or New Zealand every few years. It will be impossible to maintain the facilities, let alone improve the facilities with a solitary test every one or two years being played there. They say that tests with an attendance of under 60,000 will be at the WACA, but you could argue that a "low drawing" test would attract far more spectators at the new stadium than the WACA. Sure a test against New Zealand might attract 40,000 over 4-5 days at the WACA, but the number might be more like 60,000 plus at Perth Stadium with shade, superior amenities, better transport options. Even for low drawing games, doesn't it make more sense to simply rope off sections of the stadium or close off the upper deck rather than play at the WACA? The WACA should be seized by the WA Government and the land sold to help pay for the new stadium.
Gharner
Roar Rookie
Didn't the AFL help prop some of the tenant clubs up? Why would they do that if they wanted them to fold or merge?
Paul D
Roar Guru
The AFL are the best operators in the land. They've seen the future and it is cash strapped state governments not funding expensive stadiums anymore. Hence the real estate speculation and the financial independence that will bring them.
Perry Bridge
Guest
It helps block the cold winds coming up that way.
Simoc
Guest
I'm predicting that after a couple of years the AFL games at the new stadium will rarely if ever attract more than 40000 size crowds. The Rail struggles with 40k at Subiaco and people soon get peeved at waiting half an hour especially if you've just lost. MCG never has that problem. Plus 10mins longer from Freo. 45k stadiums are ample, cheaper and easier number to handle people before and after games. You can charge more for tickets, get more atmosphere more often, and major money is made from TV rights. We see membership numbers no longer relate to people at the ground as they can party on at home with live coverage on a huge TV. Only Ashes cricket attracts large test match crowds (apart from Boxing Day).
BrainsTrust
Guest
The AFL basically conned certain AFL clubs into paying their mortgage at Etihad. The charges at Etihad were so high because it wasn;t a rent the clubs were funding the purchase. It also had an alterior motive that it wanted some of the clubs to fold or merge and it was two birds with the one stone at the time. I suspect that the AFl rushing into buying Etihad ahead of time instead of just waiting to get it had something to do with the recent construction of a massive new apartment hotel on its outside perimeter. The rectangular AAMI park operates with a rent and will always belong to the government. So all revenue goes back to the government. The MCG as far as i know they rely on the members charges to fund the stadium outside of government grants and cricket and AFL then get it for a certain period. Then any rent they will charge to others goes into the MCC pot. Etihad stadium the government has given the land and now they are being asked for hundreds of millions by the AFL for their private property.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Trying to compare the SCG to the WACA (and Homebush to Burswood) is not, in my view, a valid argument. There’s a fair bit of difference between the two situations, and it’s not something you can simply argue in favour of based on the number of seats at Homebush vs the SCG. it's one of those things that theoretically makes sense on a superficial level but if you delve into the nuance you quickly realize it falls down as an argument.
jamesb
Guest
Well to follow your logic, the Sydney tests, particularly the Ashes, should've switched from the SCG to Homebush so that it can attract 70,000 on day 1. If that's the case, why didn't that eventuate?
Perry Bridge
Guest
#Bakkies What tax payer funded stadium are you talking about?? Etihad has not included a cent of tax payer cash. There was land provided. The AFL put up $30 million up front, signed a 25 year lease with certain conditions to be met (minimum games and minimum average attendances and crappy deals for tenant clubs who get forced there via AFL fixturing!!) and the AFL had the right after 25 years to buy it lock/stock/barrel for $30. However - the rest of the investment is all private. The Govt couldn't afford anything in the mid 90s. Our of the MCG, Etihad and the rectangular AAMI Park, you tell me which is the only (in fact the only majority, in fact the only more than 20%) fully tax payer funded stadium in the Melbourne mix.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Righto, so why would you want an ashes test, that is probably going to pull 50,000+ on day one, to be at the WACA ground that barely holds 20,000 and has the worst facilities of any ground in Australia used for international cricket? Likewise with the India test matches. I think it's a good compromise. Have the high drawing matches at Burswood and keep the lesser lights at the WACA so you can still have a good atmosphere with a small crowd.
jamesb
Guest
"shouldn’t you at least see what sort of cricket is played at Burswood before writing it off as a failure?" I didn't say that. All I said is for cricket to remain at the WACA except the BBL games.
Paul D
Roar Guru
The AFL would have seen what happened at Adelaide and learned from that. They will emphasise to the WA government that while the government holds the stadium, they also hold the trump card of being the only two regular tenants who will draw big crowds. As well as the Scorchers for 4 games a year or whatever it is. This needs to be a symbiotic relationship and if both sides approach the bargaining table in a pragmatic state of mind there’s no reason why a satisfactory deal cannot be agreed on. I don’t know what the rent was at Subiaco, but I’d question why it should be less. The clubs will be able to get a lot more members in, for starters. Currently the Eagles can’t get all their members into Subiaco even if every seat was kept for them, they had over 65,000 members in 2016. The Dockers had 51,000. So it stands to reason they will be asked to pay more. How much more will be discussed I’m sure. If the WAFL wanted control of the stadium they needed to pay for it, but they don’t have 1.5 billion or whatever it is so they can’t. I know the WA state government is in deep budget trouble but they’re not going to solve their budgetary problems by shaking an extra mill or two out of AFL clubs.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Yeah, though it's a hard one to prove absolutely, especially with the dollars involved in installing them and you can't readily uninstall them to see the difference. Plus there's the attractiveness to administrators (and fans) in getting the grounds ready as soon as possible following any potential rain delays. Though I'd suggest that if there's one ground that would under-utilise a highly efficient drainage system, it's the WACA.
An Outside view
Guest
The wickets they will use for Perth's Football Stadium Ashes test match next November 17 are currently growing under the baking sun next to the WACA at Gloucester Park trotting track. It is featured on the Cricket Australia website. No question at all the Ashes Perth test will be at the Football Ground.
Perry Bridge
Guest
I'll never 1981/82, a pretty good summer of cricket - Pakistan and the West Indies. The Pakis kicked it off with the first test in Perth - and in this era it was a benefit to Australia to have any visiting side OTHER than the West Indies kick it off in Perth (the old days of the steam ship docking in Fremantle first....well, not quite - this was the '80s). The Pakis would've felt alright knocking the Aussies over for just 180. But Pakistan all out 62 with only Safraz Nawaz with 26 making double figures. Lille and Alderman on their home track demolished - this was also the match of the Javed Miandad and Lillee kick and stand off.