Big Bash crowd figure reignites debate over Test cricket’s future

Debate surrounding the king of cricket in Australia has been reignited with images all but confirming the time may have come for one.

Test cricket appears to be dead and buried, at least in one Australian state.

Australia kicked off the summer of cricket against Pakistan with a dominant 360-run win in the first Test in Perth.

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But the celebrations were largely muted thanks to the lacklustre showing of local cricket fans, with only 59,125 strolling through the gates across the four days of action.

The highest figure for a single day came on the second day of play when 17,666 sat in the stands at Optus Stadium.

The dismal showing for the opening Test, in what is a 60,000-capacity stadium, ignited debate among the cricket faithful who were quick to call out locals for failing to show up.

On Boxing Day the debate came roaring back into the spotlight with Perth Mayor Basil Zempilas taking aim at the Melbourne crowd.

Melbourne saw more patrons through the gates on day one than the entirety of the opening Test and while Zempilas’ remark was wider than a Steve Harmison delivery, locals in Perth proved they simply didn’t care about the Test arena.

On Tuesday night the Perth Scorchers took on the Melbourne Renegades and extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches.

But it was what unfolded in the stands that really stole the show. A Big Bash Boxing Day record of 42,226 fans had flocked through the gates and packed out the stands.

Fans packed out the stands for the Big Bash. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Seats outnumbered those in attendance at the opening Test. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The outrageous showing for the Big Bash contest forced stadium workers into action with Seven’s Ryan Daniels stating the sheets from the top tier had to be removed to create more space.

It was a polar opposite to what had unfolded during the opening Test as the grey seats vastly outnumbered the patrons in attendance.

And while many celebrated the outstanding showing from Perth cricket fans, it left others pondering if it meant the end for Test cricket in the state.

News Corps Tim Michell wrote: “Next year’s Perth Test will be Scorchers v India.”

Code Sports’ Daniel Cherny wrote: “What a town.”

Great to see such a big crowd at Perth Stadium for this #BBL13 match. T20 cricket is a great way to introduce newcomers to the game before they eventually graduate to an appreciation of Test cricket.

— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 26, 2023

Just under 40,000 @OptusStadium before first ball of @ScorchersBBL@RenegadesBBL@SuperCoachBBL 🔥

— Tim Gossage 🤓 (@TimGossage) December 26, 2023

The famously parochial state has always had tunnel vision when it comes to its domestic sporting teams with the West Coast Eagles the hottest ticket in town.

More than 464,000 fans attended the club’s 11 home matches at Optus Stadium in 2023, despite the team finishing at the bottom of the ladder with just three wins for the season.

The figures from the opening Test compared to the ongoing Big Bash contests will only fuel calls for other venues to be thrown into the mix over Perth.

Is it time for Canberra to be put back on the Test cricket calendar having not hosted a fixture since back in 2019?

Or could it be that Test cricket Down Under is simply waning on all fronts. Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O’Keeffe believes footy codes have ramped up with an increased stranglehold on the news cycle.

“I don’t want to be talking about (wantaway Warriors forward) Addin Fonua-Blake in November, it’s driving me nuts,” O’Keeffe said on SEN.

Melbourne showed out for the opening day. Picture: David Smith

“When I hear sports talkback people on other stations … it’s early November and they say, ‘Oh, I can’t wait for Round 1 of the NRL’, please… give yourself an uppercut, what is going on?

“We’ve deep down lost our love of it (cricket). It should be propagated by people in the media. I don’t care if it’s seen as our national sport or not (but) the nations that rise in cricket are the ones that are absolutely passionate about the game.

“India for a start, they’re the juggernaut and we’re talking about Addin Fonua-Blake and where he might go in 2027, please. Will the Dragons get the spoon? Who cares in November?Who cares in March? Come on.”

Time will only tell if the fate of Test cricket in this great land has run it’s course and if the Big Bash will reign supreme as the replacement.