A Memorable 47-Year old Journey at the WACA Comes To a Fairytale End

Australia’s triumphant third Test victory at the WACA in Perth helped them regain the Ashes, and their supreme reign at the historic ground continued against their arch-rivals.

The WACA had always been a happy hunting ground for the Kangaroos winning 25 off 44 Tests they had played at the scary fast and bouncy pitch of the historic stadium. It has not been the case for their closest and oldest rivals, England, as they had last won a Test at the venue way back in 1978.

Since then the English team has had a torrid time at the iconic venue. Moreover, England last avoided a defeat was way back in 1986 when they managed to draw the match.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Also Read: Ashes 2017/18: Joe Root Backs Seniors After Perth Mauling

Perth has not been kind to the English team for over 30 years now. However, they can breathe a sigh of relief, as the third Test was the last time they had to come to the venue and face defeat. The new Perth Stadium now takes over the legacy of taking the rich cricketing history of the city forward.

The WACA has given some beautiful cricketing memories to the fans since the first match played there in 1970 between England and Australia.

Also Read: Ashes 2017/18: Twitter Mocks Sir Ian Botham After Australia Regains Urn in Perth

The WACA had seen the rise of Ricky Ponting, who announced himself on the international stage with a brilliant 96. Matthew Hayden hitting the then highest score of 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003; Ross Taylor scoring 290, the highest score by a touring batsman and most famous of them all.

Adam Gilchrist hitting a 58-ball hundred and demolished the English bowling line up is also up there.

The fans will definitely miss cricket at WACA all over the world, but not so much by the viewers who bought tickets to watch the match live. The amenities at the venue have for long been in shatters. Fans wanting to use the toilets and the food and beverage stalls had to wait in long queues.

The scorching heat in Perth is something the city is quite famous for, and all through these years, the fans have come in large numbers to watch their heroes play at a stadium which is majorly exposed to the sun, no wonder why sunscreen is distributed for free at the venue.

Also Read: Ashes 2017/18: Josh Hazlewood Flattens Rusty England; Australia Regains Urn in Perth

However, the new Perth Stadium just in the backdrop of the iconic WACA is the way forward for cricket in the city. The stadium will host its first international match this summer when England and Australia come back to the city again to play a One Day International on January 28^th.

However, the first Test will be played when India tour Down Under in the next Australian summer. The venue will host Tests which involve England, India and South Africa.

Rick Simmons, a Perth local spoke to Cricbuzz and said the time is right for cricket to move to the new stadium,

“It has been a love fest over the WACA, particularly from journalists and commentators from the east, but it is a lot easier to be romantic about this ground from the press box. I didn’t go to the WACA for years because it was always stinking hot during Test matches and it is no fun at all baking under the sun. It’s hard to convince the family to come along too. Obviously, I loved the fast and bouncy pitch, but that is pretty well gone. It is generally a flat pitch these days, so we have to stop living in the past. I’m excited to watch cricket at Perth Stadium and not have to worry about sunburn, lining up to go to the toilet and waiting in long queues.”

However, Chamara Seneviratne, a WACA member who had watched every match played at the venue feels Test cricket at the WACA is an emotional thing and it should remain where it belongs.

“It’s a sentimental thing. The WACA has all these iconic moments. I feel very sad….I think all Tests should be here. I’m in the minority, most of the other members I talk to seem happy about the move. But a part of my cricket fandom feels like it is dying off,”

Also Read: Ashes 2017/18: Twitter Congratulates Australia for Regaining the Urn in Perth