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Coulter-Nile disappointed with WACA shake-up

WA fast-bowler calls on the pitches at venues around the country to retain traditional characteristics

A passionate Nathan Coulter-Nile has called for Australia’s Test venues to retain their traditional characteristics in the wake of the Western Australian Cricket Association’s decision to move its prestige international matches away from the WACA Ground.

The WACA announced on Thursday that the new Perth Stadium, which is set to be completed in 2018, will be the future WA venue for Australia’s international matches against England, South Africa and India.

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The new venue is also set to host all of the Perth Scorchers' home matches in the KFC Big Bash League.

The famous WACA Ground wicket will still be used for international matches against other nations, while the new multi-sport stadium is set to employ a drop-in pitch as seen at the MCG and as of 2013, the Adelaide Oval.

The WACA have said they plan on replicating the bouncy and fast pitch from the existing venue for the drop-in surface at the new stadium.

Ahead of Australia's second ODI against England at Lord's on Saturday night, Coulter-Nile said he disliked the similarity of the wickets used at venues around the nation.

"I think it’s just disappointing that we’re going to a lot of drop-in wickets now," Coulter-Nile said.

"They’re all the same. So you’re getting a lot of cricket that’s all the same.

"You go to the Gabba (Brisbane) and it’s flat (when it) is traditionally quick and bouncy.

"Then you’ve got the rest of them that are now drop-ins which are all just Adelaide Oval, MCG, they’re all just flat. If that’s what people want to see then so be it."

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The Western Australian quick says players want to experience the traditional traits of Australia’s pitches as they prepare for the rigours of Test cricket.

"You want to go to Sydney and see it spin, go to Perth to see it bounce, Gabba you want to see it swing and bounce,” Coulter-Nile added.

"I don’t want to see all cricket being played the same."

Coulter-Nile also fears the new stadium, which seats 60,000 spectators, won’t be able to create the electric atmosphere of smaller venues like the WACA Ground, which has consistently sold out for Scorchers matches across the four seasons of the BBL, while Tests and limited-overs internationals regularly fill the famous ground.

"I’d much rather be at the WACA,” Coulter-Nile said.

"It’s an amazing atmosphere. You play at some of these grounds with the drop-in pitches and the massive stadiums.

"You still get 20,000 there but it just feels like it’s empty. Pitches are dull and boring, stuff like that.

"I’d much rather play at smaller – not small – 17,000, 18,000 people, loud right behind you, bouncy wicket, something that has a bit of character about it, but it’s obviously not up to me to make the decisions."

If the recent redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval is anything to go by however, Coulter-Nile may have little to fear on that front. 

The major works conducted on the South Australian venue, which expanded the ground's capacity to 53,500, has been a roaring success, with the Adelaide Strikers enjoying record-breaking attendances throughout BBL|04, topping out at 52,633 in their home semi-final.

Perth is also a one-team town and with a significantly larger population than Adelaide, the potential is there for similarly massive turnouts at the new Perth Stadium. 

And with the Scorchers boasting an imposing record in the competition, having made the finals in each of the four seasons, a home final in front of 60,000 fans could prove to be one of the summer's most captivating events.

The WACA also announced this week that the WACA Ground will become a modern boutique stadium with a permanent capacity of up to 15,000.

Australia have an imperious record at the WACA Ground, winning 24 of their 41 Tests while losing only seven since 1970.

The WACA Ground will play host to New Zealand in the second Commonwealth Bank Test this summer, along with the first Victoria Bitter ODI Series match against India and at least four Scorchers games as they look to secure a hat-trick of BBL titles.