WACA fury as CA confirm no India Test in Perth on release of full international fixture list

Australia’s first visitor of the summer (or technically still winter) is set to be a side this country has only seen once in the last 16 years. See Cricket Australia’s busy 2020-2021 home schedule right here.

Optus Stadium in Perth has been snubbed for a Test match between the two top ranked teams in the world.

• What crisis? Hold outs a victory for common sense
• Pay pacts to power plays: cricket in for a wild ride

Pressure on Cricket Australia has increased as West Australian officials hit out at a head office that is fighting fires on all fronts.

The WACA is furious about the scheduling for the summer. Perth learned it would host Afghanistan, not India, despite moving to a $1.6bn state-of-the-art stadium, and chief executive Christina Matthews hit out at the lack of “transparency and clarity” in dealings with CA.

Australia could return to international action in August with a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe.

Relive all the action from the 2019 Indian Premier League with Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >

Australia haven’t played a home series against Zimbabwe since 2004.

Darwin is favourite for the first two matches of the series - which begins on August 9 - while Townsville has been pencilled in for the third.

Meanwhile, NSW is still waiting on updated financial forecasts seven weeks into negotiations about a 25 per cent reduction in state grants and Queensland is also holding out on accepting the proposed cuts.

Western Australia will not agree to the cuts unless all other states do, which means three of the six states have issues with the financial arrangements.

And, CA has until Friday to provide a similar forecast of annual revenue for the players.

Optus Stadium has been snubbed for a Test match between the two top ranked teams.

Sources at the Australian Cricketers Association said it had extended the deadline by a month given the fluidity of the situation, but believe it will be impossible for CA to justify 25 per cent cuts after chief executive Kevin Roberts told staff and broadcasters that he was confident India would tour.

Roberts addressed the media four days after 80 per cent of his staff were stood down on 20 per cent pay in April, but has not done so since, choosing to address issues in direct video links with staff and states. He did, however, join a forum alongside other sports bosses last week for News Corp and will speak to the media on Friday morning.

At his last phone hook-up with furloughed staff, Roberts said reports the financial crisis had abated because the Indian tour looked set to go ahead were not correct and claimed there were significant losses from debtors and biosecurity arrangements that will be put in place in the summer.

The size of the losses is hotly disputed by the ACA and the leading states, who believe the financial hit has been exaggerated.

Matthews and WACA chairman Tuck Waldron expressed their disappointment in a media conference in Perth on Thursday.

“We keep seeking clarity and transparency on issues and it doesn’t seem to come until it is forced,” Matthews said.

Virat Kohli’s India will open their four Test series in Australia at fortress Gabba.

“In regards to the India Test we put something to them in February and didn’t get an acknowledgment of it and now we have been told that this decision was made on March 20.

“It is a long time between the decision being made and us being brought into the picture so it does make you wonder when you get told whether it is really the way it is happening.”

Matthews said the WA government and stadium management put together a proposal to host the Test and ministers met with CA during last year’s Test.

Perth claims it faces a loss of $3m to $4m with the decision to hold the first Test in Brisbane.

The WACA claims the Test would be in a better time zone and that its metrics for crowds, ratings, corporate hospitality and weather are better than those for Brisbane. The Gabba is in need of renovations but has an advantage in that it is the traditional starting point for the summer and Australia have not lost a Test there since 1988.

“The last time (in 2014) we were told it was because our venue wasn’t good enough and if we supported a new stadium this would never happen again,” Matthews said.

Australia’s men’s Test side will host Afghanistan at the Perth Stadium this coming summer.

On Thursday Roberts said: “While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combating the coronavirus and the positive impact that is having on our ability to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21.

“We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we’ll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer. We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required.

“We are working closely with the BCCI to deliver the eagerly anticipated men’s and women’s tours, and we are looking forward to staging the important series against both the men’s and women’s New Zealand sides. These are in addition to the scheduled men’s Test against Afghanistan and a T20 series against West Indies.”

FULL MEN’S & WOMEN’S 2020-21 INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE

Gillette Men’s ODI Series v Zimbabwe

First ODI: August 9, TBC

Second ODI: August 12, TBC

Third ODI: August 15, Riverway Stadium, Townsville

CommBank Women’s T20 Series v New Zealand

First T20: September 27, North Sydney Oval

Second T20: September 29, North Sydney Oval

Third T20: October 1, North Sydney Oval

Gillette Men’s T20 INTL Series v West Indies

First T20: October 4, Riverway Stadium, Townsville

Second T20: October 6, Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns

Third T20: October 9, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

CommBank Women’s ODI Series v New Zealand

First ODI: October 5, Riverway Stadium, Townsville

Second ODI: October 7, Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns

Third ODI: October 10, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

Gillette Men’s T20 INTL Series v India

First T20: October 11, the Gabba, Brisbane

Second T20: October 14, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Third T20: October 17, Adelaide Oval

Men’s T20 World Cup

The men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled from October 18 to November 15

(In doubt due to the ongoing international health crisis)

Men’s Test v Afghanistan

Only Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium (day-night)

Men’s Test Series v India

First Test: December 3-7, the Gabba, Brisbane

Second Test: December 11-15, Adelaide Oval (day-night)

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 3-7, SCG

Gillette Men’s ODI Series v India

First ODI: January 12, Perth Stadium

Second ODI: January 15, MCG

Third ODI: January 17, SCG

CommBank Women’s ODI Series v India

First ODI: January 22, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Second ODI: January 25, Junction Oval, Melbourne

Third ODI: January 28, Blundstone Arena, Hobart

Gillette Men’s ODI Series v New Zealand

First ODI: January 26, Adelaide Oval

Second ODI: January 29, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Third ODI: January 31, Blundstone Arena, Hobart

Gillette Men’s T20 v New Zealand

Only T20: February 2, SCG

Originally published as WACA fury as CA confirm no India Test in Perth on release of full international fixture list