Ashes: Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein lashes Western Australia officials over plans for final Ashes Test

The war of words over the hosting rights for the final Ashes Test has heated up, with Tasmania declaring why Western Australia should be ruled out.

Tim Paine is yet to play a Test match for Australia on Tasmanian soil. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

The war of words over the fifth Ashes Test has escalated, with Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein declaring Western Australia is “scrambling” and it would be a “retrograde” step if players had go into a form of quarantine for the match to go ahead in Perth.

Tasmania has made an official bid to poach the Test from Perth amid ongoing concerns about quarantine arrangements for players with the WA border still closed.

Western Australia Cricket chief executive Christina Matthews believes the Tasmanian government is “wasting their time”, with local officials adamant the match will go ahead as they make special arrangements to accommodate players and officials arriving from Sydney.

But amid revelations of extreme measures that could include balls that go into the crowd being replaced, Gutwein said any restrictions on players should stop the match going ahead in Perth.

“I do see the West Australian government is scrambling a bit at the moment, offering some sort of quarantine lite should they be able to have the Test,” Gutwein said on Friday morning.

“Even if they drop and change their rules so they can have the Test, the border rules means thousands still couldn’t see the Test live, where s they could in Tasmania. I think we have a really strong case to push.”

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein

Players and officials from both teams would have to serve five days quarantine in Perth under current arrangements with Cricket Australia as they travel from Sydney after the fourth Test.

Gutwein said the players might baulk at that, making Tasmania an option.

“I think the players are pretty clear in their thinking around this,” he told SEN.

“The country is moving forward and it would be a retrograde step if the players had to go back into quarantine to hold a Test.

“I feel very firmly we are one of the safest places on the planet here in Tasmania. WA has lagged and failed with its vaccination program. They are behind everyone else in the country.

“The difference between the states is quite simply WA have not been able to keep up. I think we have a really strong case.”

 Gutwein confirmed on Wednesday that he had written to Cricket Australia to formally request the fifth Test be played on the Apple Isle.

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A Test in Hobart would also prove to be a fitting farewell for Australian captain Tim Paine, who is yet to play a match for the nation in his home state.

However, Matthews — a former wicketkeeper for Australia — didn’t believe Tasmania had much hope in getting the bumper clash moved from Perth, as CA remained determined to play the final Test in WA.

“Good on them for having a go,” Matthews said. “They’re just looking for an opportunity and I am sure they have the best of intentions.

“But they are wasting their time.

“Things are going well over here.

“There are a few things to sort out, but we’re very positive that the Test will remain in WA.”

Gutwein told the Tasmanian parliament on Wednesday that his government would back the move financially, hoping for a fitting send-off for Test captain, and Tasmanian, Tim Paine.

“It would be just fantastic to see Tim play at Bellerive as captain of Australia. We’ve been having ongoing discussions with Cricket Tasmania and the CEO of Cricket Australia,” Gutwein told parliament.

“Today I’ll be writing to Cricket Australia to formally put our case for the relocation of the Test match scheduled to commence on the 14th of January in WA.

The Premier will be writing today to @CricketAus
to put our case forward for the 5th Ashes test to be played in Tasmania. It would be fantastic to see 🇦🇺 captain Tim Paine play at Bellerive and we will work with @CricketAus to achieve this #politas 🏏https://t.co/5k6Gm6syvJ

— GutweinTeamMedia (@GutweinTeam) November 10, 2021

“Their borders will not be open by then. Tasmania is ready to host that important match … (which) would without doubt be the state’s biggest sporting event that we’ve hosted to date.

“Tasmania has a great history and a proud tradition of representation in the Australian cricket team.”

Paine is yet to play a Test as captain of the Australian team in Tasmania, but if Gutwein has his way, it could figure as the perfect way to finish what could potentially be Paine’s last summer of cricket for Australia.

Paine on Tuesday declared he would be “ready to go” for the first Ashes Test on December 8 at the Gabba after he underwent surgery on a bulging disc in his neck in September.

“I’m good to go. We had a plan in place … the playing date for me was about the 20th of November. We’re going to stick to that regardless,” Paine said on Tuesday.

“I have been training fully the last few days. I feel fantastic. I feel like I could play this week, but to go straight in to a Shield game was a bit too much to ask.

“I had to be careful getting back to diving. I have been diving and catching. I couldn’t be happier with where it is at.

“I feel absolutely fantastic. I haven’t played cricket for such a long time, my body feels as good as it has.”

Tasmania was set to end their five-year wait for an Australian Test match with the one-off clash against Afghanistan, but it was postponed again after the Taliban took over the country and declared they did not support women and girls playing cricket.

Tim Paine will be hoping the Tasmanian government can wrestle the fifth Ashes Test away from Perth and bring it to Hobart. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Originally published as Ashes: Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein lashes Western Australia officials over plans for final Ashes Test