Published: Thursday, 2nd July, 2009 7:00am

This first test in Cardiff is just not cricket

by Anthony Smith

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THE decision to award the first Ashes Test to Cardiff has caused outrage across the entire cricket community.

How could Sofia Gardens, even with the benefit of a £14m revamp and a change of name, get the nod instead of Old Trafford which has been the scene of so many historic England triumphs over the years?

And why weren"t Trent Bridge - which has been scrubbed off the Ashes rota completely - Durham"s Riverside or Hampshire"s Rose Bowl considered instead?

Australian legend Shane Warne launched a savage attack against cricket"s organisers for breaking with tradition.

He, presumably along with millions more dissenting voices and those too tight to cough up the £5.40 to cross the bridge, feels the opening match should be at Lord"s, as it was in 2005 when England famously won the series 2-1.

'How Cardiff get the first Test match in the Ashes is just a disgrace,' fumed Warne. 'I don"t know how they get that, I really couldn"t believe that. The Lord"s Test match should always be number one.'

However, Warne ignored one vital statistic: England have not beaten Australia at Lord"s since 1934.

The Aussies have an outstanding record in St John"s Wood. They defeated Michael Vaughan"s men there in the 2005 opener and a similar start this time would be leave England with a mountain to climb.

On the other hand, the tourists have a dreadful record in Cardiff. They gave Bangladesh their first ever victory in international one-day cricket there not so long ago. So far from nullifying England"s "home advantage," the Welsh capital could provide Andrew Strauss and his troops with a victory that has embarrassingly eluded England for 75 years of Ashes contests at Lord"s.

The first Test starts next Wednesday. Just don"t forget your brolly.

- THIS summer will have dragged on longer than most for a lot of Reading FC fans.

It seems months not weeks since Steve Coppell"s side lost to Burnley in a heartbreaking play-off semi-final. Of course, Coppell has since left to be replaced by Brendan Rodgers while Kevin Doyle"s record £6.5m transfer to Wolves could be only the first of several high-profile players set to leave in the next few weeks.

It is certainly all-change at the Madejski Stadium and I"m sure the whole town will get right behind Rodgers as he attempts to guide the Royals back into the Premier League.

And with pre-season training starting on Monday, the waiting is almost over.

- HATS off to Stuart Pearce.He signed a new two-year deal as England Under 21 manager then watched them get mullered 4-0 by his greatest nemesis of all, Germany, in the European Championship final on Monday.

He couldn"t take a penalty, but you certainly can"t fault his timing.

***Maurice O"Brien is away.