Big Bash League hopes to flee Covid-19 nightmare as soon as possible

Covid-19 has torn through the ranks of more than one BBL team and now the league is preparing to take drastic action.

The BBL is preparing its action plan for fighting the Covid-19 crisis. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

The Big Bash League is preparing to seek refuge from its Covid-19 nightmare by setting up shop in Melbourne for the remainder of the tournament.

Sources at both Cricket Australia and interstate BBL clubs told News Corp that the league was seriously investigating the possibility of moving to Melbourne as Covid-19 outbreaks continue tearing through the competition.

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Cricket Australia says the move would increase flexibility but has stopped short of saying the teams would be in a “bubble” – the term applied to the Covid-safe, interstate hubs used by the WBBL and NRL in 2021.

CA is hoping to play select games interstate, including the Sydney Smash between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder on January 15.

Sources at interstate clubs told News Corp that charter flights were likely to be used to ferry teams in and out of Melbourne for these games.

Clubs are working with Cricket Australia to arrange travel plans to Melbourne but specifics are still up in the air.

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley is one of the prominent cricket identities to test positive to Covid-19 since the holiday season began. Others have included Glenn McGrath, David Boon and Travis Head. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

“It’s very complex,” Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley told SEN.

“The last 10 days of the group stage of the competition, we will be gradually moving teams into Melbourne.

“They will still fly in and fly out for games in home markets.

“But if a team is impacted it gives us much more opportunity to swap teams in.”

Outbreaks have decimated BBL|11 in the new year – the Melbourne Stars reported that 12 players had tested positive for Covid-19 by Monday and on Wednesday, Brisbane Heat’s clash with the Sixers was cancelled after 12 Heat players had also come down with the virus.

At other teams, including the Sixers and Thunder, fewer cases have been reported.

Originally published as Big Bash League hopes to flee Covid-19 nightmare as soon as possible