The 2019 final will be played at a ground with 28,000 capacity and plenty of 'atmosphere'. Take away the members in their ridiculous yellow and red hats, jackets, ties, trousers and underpants, sponsors guests and some punters will get in to savour the occasion.

I must have been at a different venue; I thought it was great. (try an AFL final; should be on everyone's bucket list, been to quite a few in my time). Sadly the MCG capacity was reduced by 10,000 because of the black covering large numbers of seats, the flame throwers and the Hyundai cars etc; otherwise >100K could have watched.

As well as 'atmosphere' you should also take account of comfort, safety, catering, toilets, ease of accessing the ground by public transport etc - the G does better than most on that account. Cricket also doesn't lend itself like other sports to atmosphere as well. My viewing was actually spoiled by a big bunch of Poms who had long ago lost interest in the cricket singing and chanting non-stop football songs and ruling the waves, Jerusalem etc.

I'd take Lords over the MGC any day. The 2 best cricket grounds for fun, atmosphere, being close to the action, and steering away from the mid strength beer crap is the SCG and the Oval. Edgbastion is up there too. The commentators during the semi kept mentioning what a class ground the SCG was and Warnie just had to concede and agree. Sorry mate, but in Australia there's only 1 ground that ticks all the boxes. Mind you Adelaide might have it over the MCG now.

No thanks. It's a low sport, but you Melbourne folk wouldn't see outside the box to understand that.

You obviously haven't done Lords or the Oval then.

42,000 only accommodated at SCG for semi, 51,000 less than could enjoy the final, Adelaide might have what over MCG?

AFL is a low sport and only in Melbourne, make me laugh.

No, must admit I haven't been to Lords or the Oval.

I'm actually just querying your comment that there was no atmosphere at the MCG for the England game that's all.

MCG improvements - http://www.mcc.org.au/News/Latest%20...20upgrade.aspx

You probably heard the old saying. Its not how big it is its what you do with it that counts. Well you Melbourne folk can run around swinging yer big dicks living in ya little bubble. Perhaps a cricket tour might do you the world of good.

I'm sure the ICC will be delighted after more than 1 mill punters going to watch WC matches in Australia and NZ to get back to the quaint grounds which will mean maybe 1/2 mill for the next WC. They play cricket and err, err at most of the quaint grounds; cricket, footy, soccer, union, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games etc at the G. > 100K capacity in modern comfort. No contest as far as I'm concerned. End of discussion on this one for me as we must agree to disagree.

Really. For someone who has 1 experience of a cricket ground. Wow, then pull the ICC's revenue. Ha ha

Loved my first experience of a match at the MCG - beats the Gabba hands down for food & drink, public transport, pleasant gardens outside.....it was greta. Not been to the SCG so can't comment there.
Hopefully my first match at Lords this summer which I expect to be completely different from the MCG - both good in their own way. I love the Oval, great atmosphere there

I haven't been to Lords/Oval = '1 experience of a cricket ground'.

I just saw a near capacity MCG for the AFL opener between Richmond and Carlton 5 days after the WC cricket final - by the wonders of modern technology, live on ESPN in Scotland.

How many international cricket matches have you seen outside Melbourne?

Does anyone care much for AFL outside Melbourne and a couple of other places on southern Oz. No.

Hey the rugby world cup is coming up. That will be a spectacle. You should try it.

I hinted that by modern technology I've seen and sampled the atmosphere at every major cricket ground in the world and don't need to have been there but you didn't pick up on that. I can go back to seeing Australia playing the West Indies at WSC in Bendigo and meeting all the players in the 70's fwiw.

Try telling Eagles/Dockers; Lions/Suns; Swans/Giants and above all Crows/Power fans that AFL doesn't matter because they don't seem to be listening to you.

I personally don't care much for union so might watch the final only. I grew up in Melbourne where union and league were minor sports, hence I've never been grabbed by rugby but if anything I'll watch league because it's faster, more open and skillful and less about brute strength. Give me a Billy Slater or Cam Smith any day.

Well its modern technology that got my hopes up about the MCG. It was on my bucket list after seeing years of it on TV. When i got to experience the real thing, it was such a let down.

Pity; Lords etc don't grab me so not on my bucket list. VFL/AFL GF at the G was - tick; play and watch at Melbourne Park - tick; play and watch at Wimbledon - tick; play at Eastbourne and Roehampton - tick; Ashes test, ODI and T20 - tick; Scottish Cup final (soccer) - tick; Australia vs Scotland at Murrayfield (union) - tick; Australia vs Scotland (soccer) at Hampden tick; hit with a Grand Slam tennis champion (AM) - tick, Baton bearer in the 2014 Commonwealth Games - tick; been to the Olympics - tick ................. etc. Takes in tennis, footy, soccer, union, cricket, athletics.

Commonwealth Games. Wow. You set your sights high.

Ashes. Win at the Oval x 2 tick.
Ashes. Loss at the Oval x 1 untick
Ashes. Win at the SCG x 4. tick - you see you can only take an Ashes at the Oval or the SCG.
Australia beating England at Upton Park. Big Tick.
Australia beating and lossing to England at Twickenham. The best Rugby Stadium in the World. Multiple Ticks.
Australia beating the Lions at Stadium Australia (awful stadium BTW. Kind of like the MCG). Tick
England beating Australia in the World Cup Final. The awful stadium again. Tick.
Australia lofting the WC at the Millinium Stad 99. Tick.
Brazil beating Australia in Munich in football world cup. Best sporting event I've been to.
A West Indies cricket tour. Second best event I've been to. Tick
Micheal Phelps last ever race. London Olympics tick.
Countless Wimbledons good social but tennis is boring.
British Open golfs x 2

I'd hate to boast but you do need to branch out a little.

Oh well, if we are doing oneupmanship Australia vs Sussex at Hove Cricket Ground 2001, close encounter with a Mr Warne, plus a copy of his fingerprints.
Has to be the pinnacle of the boasting ladder

Does Liz Hurley have your sloppy seconds?