Ashes 2021-22: Sydney’s Test saved by changes strict Covid quarantine measures

The NSW government has made significant concessions to allow the SCG Test to go ahead despite rising Covid fears.

Nathan Lyon bats during day two of the Third Test match at MCG.

Cricketers will be granted special exemptions from New South Wales’ strict quarantine rules next week to ensure the fourth Test at the SCG goes ahead.

As revealed by News Corp on Monday, the NSW government will disregard the seven-day lockdown period for any member of Ashes party who is deemed a close contact of a coronavirus patient.

“The SCG test is sacred, an important date at the start of the third year of our life with COVID-19,” NSW Health minister Brad Hazzard said on Tuesday.

I want to assure the cricket loving public, under our rules any players with exposure to a known case of COVID-19 would be asked to test and isolate only until a negative result was received.

“If there are any cases within the teams, their support staff, or families, we will work with the people involved to ensure they are safe, and there is as little disruption to others as possible.”

NSW has effectively adopted Victoria’s rulings, which allowed the Boxing Day Test to continue after several members of England’s camp contracted the virus on the eve of day two.

Catch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

England players take to the field after play was delayed because of a Covid scare on day two. Picture: Getty Images

Former England captain Michael Vaughan led the crusade to keep the Ashes series in Melbourne after four members of the touring party tested positive to coronavirus and a case in Channel 7’s stable wiped its A-grade commentators out of the first session on Monday.

MCG curator Matthew Page curiously rolled a secondary pitch at lunch on Monday, but it is understood that was in preparation for the Big Bash League’s Melbourne derby on January 3 – and not a second Ashes Test.

The explosion of Covid-19 in NSW and the reluctance of Cricket Australia to strengthen the Level 4 protocols that players must abide by any tighter means more positive cases within the camps is a real possibility during the fourth Test.

NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard had great news for Sydney cricket fans.

Close contacts in Victoria are released from isolation as soon as they produce a negative swab, meaning even a player could contract the virus and the show would go on. Monday morning’s drama delayed the start of play at the MCG by just 30 minutes after all England players returned negative rapid antigen tests.

Under current NSW legislation that would be disastrous as all close contacts would be ordered into quarantine for a week, a scenario that would kill the Test match.

But News Corp understands that NSW Health is set to adopt Victoria’s rules before the Sydney Test in what shapes as a game-changer for the fate of the series.

If premier Dominic Perrottet doesn’t rubber-stamp those changes by January 5 then Cricket Australia could still be granted exemptions from the current rules because of the Covid-safe bubble players and coaches are already living in.

CA has also received an assurance from the Tasmanian government that even if its border to NSW closed before the fifth Test, players would still be allowed to jet in on a charter flight to ensure the day-night contest in Hobart goes ahead.

Fox Cricket and Channel 7 must also transport around 100 broadcast staff around the country to air the Tests and with so many people flying on commercial airlines and then spending time in the community the risk of the virus wiping out a crew is high, particularly under current NSW Health orders.

Vaughan, who spoke to England Cricket Board management on Monday morning, said it was “too much of a risk” to fly to Sydney, which has reported almost 40,000 new infections in the past week.

“This England side have been in a bubble pretty much for two years and I’m not too sure the England side will agree to get on a plane to Sydney to potentially be involved in a situation that they found themselves this morning where they will all be locked up again in kind of an isolation period,” Vaughan told Fox Cricket.

England's Mark Wood (centre) celebrates the wicket of Australia's batsman Marnus Labuschagne. Picture: AFP

“I don’t think they will agree to that. You only have to look at this morning, this Test match would have been cancelled if it was in Sydney.”

The MCG put its hand up for the fifth Test and could easily stage a second Ashes match in January.

But CA boss Nick Hockley and Australian Cricketers’ Association boss Todd Greenberg declared the series was committed to flying into the heart of the pandemic in Sydney.

“I can’t tell you the amount of work going on behind the scenes,” Hockley said.

“The diligence of our medical team and players, the diligence with which they’re working through each of the protocols is extremely impressive.

“That’s not part of our current planning. We are very focused here on making sure that we can play the full Boxing Day Test, and that we can move them safely by charter to Sydney for the New Year’s Test.”

Greenberg admitted “we might need a bit of luck” to get through the summer as scheduled.

He also warned some players could soon be fed up with bubble life and rule themselves unavailable.

“There might be a player or two who might say you know what this is not for me … and I think that’s OK,” he said.

Originally published as Ashes 2021-22: Sydney’s Test saved by changes strict Covid quarantine measures