Crowd for Sydney Test slashed to 12,000

Cricket officials have slashed the capacity for the Sydney Test to 25 per cent, making for a maximum crowd of 12,000.

Crowd scenes such as this from the 2019 Sydney Test will not happen this year

Cricket officials have slashed the capacity for the Sydney Test to 25 per cent, making for a maximum crowd of 12,000 and leaving those who already had a ticket to fight for them again.

The major step back from original plans for a 50 per cent capacity comes as country cricket fans were urged to stay away from the match to help keep the regional areas of NSW free of COVID-19.

Cricket Australia and the SCG officially confirmed on Monday they had revised crowd restrictions for the New Year’s showpiece based on NSW Government advice and that the match would be completely re-ticketed.

Tickets will be refunded and those who were ticket holders will be given an exclusive window to repurchase tickets via Ticketek from 5pm on Monday through to 12pm on Tuesday.

Any remaining tickets will be released to the public after that point.

It’s a significant blow given officials have been adamant about a 50 per cent crowd regardless of community infections in the city. But that number will be cut in half leaving with the SCG with a capacity of 12,000.

“In response to the public health situation in NSW, we are working closely with Venues NSW and NSW Health to put appropriate biosecurity measures in place for our staff, players, match officials, broadcasters and fans to ensure we play the third Test safely,” said CA interim chief, Nick Hockley.

“Reducing the capacity of the venue is crucial in achieving social distancing requirements and we sincerely thank ticketholders for their patience as we process refunds today, reconfigure the SCG seating plan to deliver these social distancing measures and go back on sale.”

That puts the Test in the same region as the 10,128 supporters who attended an A-League match at Bankwest Stadium last week.

Government officials have said in recent days they would continue to review the 50 per cent figure, and they were worried about the prospect of rain impacting their COVID-safe plan.

There has been a strong social media backlash to the plans to have a crowd of 20,000 fans to the SCG amid other restrictions introduced in Greater Sydney, but it appears as though Health authorities and the Government have found an acceptable balance.

The SCG boasts close to 20,000 members and a considerable chunk are from rural areas who circle the iconic New Year’s Test in their calendar every year.

But the state government has issued a stern warning – stay away when play begins on Thursday.

“In regional rural NSW right now we’re enjoying no restrictions,” NSW acting premier John Barilaro said on Monday.

“We got to have the summer and the Christmas we were robbed of last year because of bushfires and drought because of the restrictions we’ve put in place in Sydney.

“So the risk would be that if someone from the regions comes to Sydney they could take it (COVID-19) back to a regional area.

“Maybe this year isn’t the year to come to Sydney to watch the Test.”

The shock message will come as a blow to diehard cricket fans who were planning on making the annual pilgrimage to Sydney this week.

But NSW Health, along with the SCG Trust and Cricket Australia, are still frantically working on a COVID-safe plan to stage the third Test.

They are likely to settle on a crowd capacity later on Tuesday although the threat of wet weather is threatening to diminish that number.

“Each day we are confronted with other issues,” Barilaro said. “There is now a consideration that if it is wet weather what does that look like?

“Will people be leaving their zones and their seats and congregating under the shelter? They’re the things we’ve got to deal with.

“What do we do about mask wearing when they go up to the bar?

“Transport on the way in, I know Transport have increased the number of options to get to the SCG … they’re the things we‘re working with with the (SCG) Trust.”