New Zealand postpones white ball tour of Australia

One-day cricket has been a fixture of the Australian summer, but the latest move from New Zealand has changed all of that.

Captains Aaron Finch of Australia and Kane Williamson of New Zealand. Picture: Matt King / Getty Images

Australia is set to go without a single men’s ODI in a home summer for the first time in over 40 years, after the New Zealand Government’s strict quarantine requirements forced the Blackcaps to abandon their upcoming white-ball tour of Australia.

New Zealand Cricket revealed on Wednesday the global spread of Omicron had delayed government plans to relax its quarantine requirements by the time the four-match ODI and T20 series was to conclude on February 8.

The Kiwis had already forecast bringing a below-strength team to Australia because of a clash with their upcoming home Test series with South Africa.

Australia has played at least one ODI every home summer since 1977/78, avoiding a wipeout last year with one clash against the Kiwis at an empty SCG, before that series was also called off.

The latest move takes the number of series Australia has postponed during the Covid-19 pandemic to seven, as well as twice putting off a one-off Test against Afghanistan.

The other matches postponed include two Tests against Bangladesh, three one-day matches against Zimbabwe, three T20s against the West Indies, three Tests against South Africa and an earlier white-ball series against New Zealand.

Australia’s next currently scheduled fixtures are a five-match T20 series against Sri Lanka, due to start in Sydney on February 11.

Australian men's matches postponed due to Covid-19:

Mar 20 - 2 ODIs vs NZ
Jun 20 - 2 Tests vs BAN
Aug 20 - 3 ODIs vs ZIM
Oct 20- 3 T20Is vs WI
Nov 20 - Test vs AFG
Jan 21 - 3 ODIs, T20 vs NZ
Feb 21 - 3 Tests vs RSA
Nov 21 - Test vs AFG
Jan 22 - 3 ODIs, T20 vs NZ#AUSvNZ

— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) January 19, 2022

New Zealand Cricket worked with Cricket Australia to propose a schedule change that would have allowed the Blackcaps to return home later than originally planned, but the Government informed New Zealand Cricket it still could not guarantee when the cricketers would be permitted to enter the country.

As a result, the three ODIs and one-off T20 have been postponed and both CA and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will discuss when the postponed fixtures can be played.

“We are extremely disappointed that we won’t be able to play the scheduled matches against New Zealand as planned, however we will continue to work with New Zealand Cricket to reschedule the series,” CA boss Nick Hockley said.

“We thank NZC, who made every effort to make the series happen, however, because they were unable to get certainty over return quarantine arrangements, it is simply just not possible at this time.”

Australia and New Zealand won’t meet as planned. Picture: Alex Davidson / Getty Images

NZC chief executive David White said “the advent of Omicron” had resulted in a hard 10-day mandatory isolation period being imposed on all incoming travellers, which players didn’t want to endure.

“NZC and CA had explored a proposal to expand the tour and to push out the date on which the squad might return to New Zealand, in the hope that might be more achievable for the Government,” he said. “Unfortunately, we received advice this morning that they could not provide certainty over this.”

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a little longer before resuming the rivalry with our mates over the ditch.

Cricket Australia will soon confirm the schedule for the Dettol T20I series with Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/83k46stNwY

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 19, 2022

Australia is currently scheduled to play three T20Is in New Zealand in mid-March, but it remains to be seen whether those matches will go ahead.

Australia last played New Zealand in ODIs in March of 2020 at an empty SCG. The sides had been due to play a three-match series, but Covid-related complications meant only the first match went ahead.

The Trans-Tasman rivals last met in T20 cricket in the final of the 2021 World Cup, which Australia won.