Sydney’s cricket test could be CANCELLED if Covid numbers swell today – as sport’s bosses stage emergency meetings in a desperate attempt to save the match
- Cricket Australia to consider changing Sydney venues because of Covid-19
- There are currently 41 active cases since outbreak in the northern beaches
- The list of potentially exposed venues has also ballooned to a staggering 70
- Cricket Australia will wait for the latest announcement to make a decision
Cricket bosses are considering canceling the Sydney Test because of the growing Covid-19 cluster.
Cricket Australia officials will make a decision after New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced 30 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday.
The new cases bring the total up to 68, while the list of potentially affected venues across Sydney has ballooned to 70.
CA officials will consider moving the Test match to a different city, such as Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide, and discuss this possibility at a big ‘Steer Co’ meeting, Herald Sun reported.
Their preferred option is to keep the third Test in Sydney, or change the order of the Third and Fourth Test.
Fears are growing the Sydney Test could be cancelled as the Covid-19 cluster grows
Cricket Australia will make a decision after New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced 30 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday
As of yet, the third Test is fully expected to start in Sydney on January 7, although NSW Health is likely to re-evaluate plans for a capacity crowd.
The biggest logistical problem for CA in coming weeks could be the fourth Test, which is due to begin on January 15 at the Gabba.
At this stage, Sydneysiders will only be directed to quarantine in Queensland if they have been in the northern beaches during the past week.
But the state is monitoring the situation closely and may opt to raise red flags for more suburbs – or the entire city – if worried about community transmission of the virus.
Australia and India’s Test squads have not been in hard lockdown during recent weeks.
However, rules have dictated what players and staff are allowed to do whenever leaving the hotel – such as dining outdoors rather than indoors.
There had been hope that protocols could be loosened in coming weeks but it now appears likely that things may actually get stricter if anything.
CA chief executive Nick Hockley believes his organisation’s protocols could help obtain exemptions if required.
‘There are business continuity measures to make sure – if there are situations … that we can give ourselves the best chance to move around safely,’ Hockley said on SEN.
CA officials will consider moving the Test match to a different city, such as Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide, and discuss this possibility at a big ‘Steer Co’ meeting
The new cases bring the total up to 68, while the list of potentially affected venues across Sydney has ballooned to 70
‘We’ll work very closely with the authorities.
‘We’ve got a clear set of protocols. We’ve been very transparent … with all the health authorities.
‘This is the very reason we have the hubs in place … we’ve had almost zero community transmission.
‘There’s been lots of calls; ‘do we actually need the hubs?’.’
CA had originally planned to start India’s tour with six white-ball games in south-east Queensland but couldn’t obtain quarantine exemptions from the state.
Players are only part of the puzzle.
Broadcast staff, officials and technicians responsible for the Decision Review System (DRS) will also need to cross the NSW-Queensland border.
The first Test has not been affected by the latest cluster but Fox Sports commentator Brett Lee has returned home to the northern beaches.
more to come
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