Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley addresses men’s and women’s Test fixture clash

Cricket Australia has addressed the fixture clash of men’s and women’s Tests and explained why it scheduled the women’s stand-alone Test in the day-night slot.

Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley has attributed a prior World Test Championship commitment with Sri Lanka for the fixture clash between the men’s and women’s Tests this week.

The women’s day-night Ashes Test will compete with the men’s opening Test in Sri Lanka that are both being televised on the same free-to-air channel.

The men’s side will play two Tests in Galle and two One-Day Internationals ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy.

The women’s Test at the MCG, which starts a day after the men’s Test, will run for all but one hour against the men’s Test for four days.

Hockley said CA was “conscious of people going back to work and school this week” and also took into account the global television viewership when it scheduled the women’s Test as a day-night match.

Aussie spin star Alana King celebrates a catch. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“It’s an opportunity for people to come down in the evening after school, after work and be part of it,” he said.

“Similarly, being over a weekend as well, it’s a bit of a late night, they can come on the weekend.

“We wanted to celebrate the 90 years of history but also wanted to have a bit of an eye to the future. This place (the MCG) is pretty spectacular when the lights come on.

“Scheduling is one of the most interesting, complex, challenging parts of cricket with all the formats and all the different countries that play.

“We very simply had a World Test Championship commitment with Sri Lanka, we’ve got the Champions Trophy, which needed to be fitted in before the IPL.

“There’s always going to be a level of overlap.”

Sam Konstas prepares for the first Test match against Sri Lanka. Picture: S Kodikara / AFP

Australian spinner Sophie Molineux will miss the Test through injury but will be cheering her teammates on from the MCG on Thursday.

She didn’t think the fixture clash was an issue and backed supporters to watch both matches simultaneously.

“Look, to be honest, cricket is so accessible now, there is so many different ways to watch cricket,” she said.

“I think the opportunity to have both Test matches on at the same time shouldn’t impact one or the other.

“Hopefully, people can flick a switch, turn the women’s game on or come here, be in the stands and have the men’s game on their phone.

“There’s definitely ways around that.”