The SCG should be given a second summer Test with Hobart to make way, writes Paul Kent

FAREWELL HOBART. It is time to take the dinky little Test in a dinky little town away from Hobart and give Sydney a second summer Test, writes Paul Kent.

Paul Kent believes the SCG should host a second Test in place of Hobart

HOBART should get ready for a farewell today.

It is time to take the dinky little Test in a dinky little town away from Hobart and give Sydney a second summer Test.

What could be more perfect than a day-night Test in the late spring against South Africa followed by the New Year Test against Pakistan?

Hobart’s poor crowds have basically surrendered the right for the city to be a regular part of the Test program.

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Paul Kent believes the SCG should host a second Test in place of Hobart

Cricket Australia needs to lose its Everybody Gets A Ribbon mentality and realise this is win-win.

Another day-night Test, with its big TV ratings to sell on the east coast, and the big sell will bring enough dollars to offer relief in scheduling for the players.

Giving Hobart a Test might have been a nice goodwill gesture when Australia were Kings of the Sport a generation back, giving Tasmanians an opportunity to see such once-in-a-generation players, but times have changed and the crowd has dropped off quicker than the team’s performance.

So give it to Sydney.

The lack of crowds attending the Hobart Test should see it axed off the Australian cricket calendar

Last year’s Sydney Test attracted 62,555 fans over the five days even though three and a half days got lost through rain.

Still, it swamped Hobart, which attracted only 15,343.

And while the Test was over in three days as the Aussies took the big stick to the Windies, pre-match sales pointed to a crowd of no more than 10,000 for the first four days.

Asked last year about the poor Hobart crowd, Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland was diplomatic: “We continue to work very hard with authorities down here to ensure cricket continues to be popular.”

Kent believes the SCG could host a day-night Test

Such charity is the fast track to sporting oblivion.

Day-night Tests are gaining appeal and the SCG is the perfect host.

Last year’s Adelaide day-nighter attracted 123,736 over the just three days — the second highest total crowd for the summer, just 3500 less than Melbourne.

Imagine what they would get in Sydney.

Originally published as The SCG should be given a second summer Test with Hobart to make way, writes Paul Kent