Cricket Australia is closely observing the bothersome COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney. The SCG has been elected as the venue for the third Test between Australia and India which begins from January 7. Now reports suggest that Cricket Australia may elect to play the new year’s test at Melbourne if more cases arise in Sydney’s northern beaches district.
The traditional new year’s Test is always played at SCG but the COVID-19 outbreak has given Cricket Australia a big problem. It is believed that state governments are set to stiffen their borders across the nation and force early contingency planning around the SCG Test next month.
Melbourne may host the third test instead of Sydney
As of now, Cricket Australia are still not panicking and keen to conduct the Test at Sydney. CA have remained in continuous conversation with the Melbourne Cricket Club around assuring a pitch is ready for possibly playing two Tests in succession at the MCG in the event of Sydney’s outbreak growing further.
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“We’re monitoring the situation; we’re not panicking at all, staying calm. Adelaide, a few weeks ago we had that pizza-shop outbreak and through that process we worked very calmly to get the players in Adelaide on a charter plane, out of Adelaide within 24 hours and that really saved the summer”, CA CEO Hockley told SEN Radio.
“We’ve got the Sydney Test and the BBL in NSW after that, so the fact we’re here in Adelaide, we’ve got the next Test in Melbourne, it’s really watch, wait and see and I think the governments around the country have handled the pandemic so well, so we’ll watch, learn and stay in touch”, he added.
Meanwhile, a report of ESPNcricinfo also suggests that opening batsman David Warner who is recovering from his groin injury in Sydney may be flown to Melbourne early to avoid any potential further border restrictions to Victoria.
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