SCG’s audacious bid to host two Tests

NSW has launched an audacious 11th hour bid to claim not one but two India-Australia Tests for Sydney this summer – including a pink-ball affair.

The SCG is attempting to host two Test matches. Picture: Phil Hillyard

NSW has launched an audacious 11th hour bid to claim not one but two India-Australia Tests for Sydney this summer – including a pink ball affair.

Cricket Australia’s summer now hinges on critical discussions with the Queensland government over the coming 24-48 hours about whether it would entertain the prospect of granting exemptions to cricket teams and broadcast staff in the event the border to NSW remains closed after January 8.

Cricket bosses are desperate for the current fixture to go ahead as scheduled with a third Test in Sydney and fourth Test in Brisbane, but the only way it can is if they get some assurances about the ability to cross from NSW into Queensland.

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The most likely alternative if CA fail to get those assurances, is still that Melbourne takes custody of Sydney’s Test, and for the MCG to host back-to-back Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests, before heading to Brisbane for the series finale.

However, there was another daring contingency plan thrown into the mix on Wednesday by NSW Cricket and NSW government officials. The push from NSW is for CA to prioritise holding the Sydney Test as planned, and then if the Queensland border fails to open – letting the SCG host the fourth Test as well, stripping Brisbane of their fixture.

News Corp understands those discussions centred around a proposed fourth Test at the SCG being a pink-ball affair, however there are major obstacles to the bid.

One is SCG curators would have only three days to turn around the ground’s traditional square for another Test match – an unprecedented turnaround, but perhaps not completely impossible.

The second issue is the bilateral tour agreement between India and Australia was signed off before the tour, and CA would need agreement from the BCCI to play a second pink-ball Test.

Given how reluctant India were to even play one in Adelaide, it would be a shock, particularly given the first pink-ball Test was over in two and a half days — although India probably wouldn’t be shedding too many tears about missing out on playing at the Gabba.

However, the biggest issue would be Queensland Cricket and the fans in Brisbane getting punished by having a Test taken off them, even when there is no COVID-19 issue in their state.

One intriguing subplot to the Sydney Test saga is that CA has not forgotten what NSW did to save the summer back in November and are exhausting every possible avenue to make the Sydney Test happen.

They know full well that the Queensland government let them down badly by refusing to allow the Indian and Australian teams to train while in quarantine, even though they had strung them along to believe everything was hunky dory.

However, taking a Test off Brisbane would still seem an extreme reaction, and the favoured contingency plan is still to have two Tests in Melbourne and a finale at the Gabba.

Sydney’s chances would appear to still hinge on the Queensland border reopening, but the longer CA holds off on their decision, the more hope the SCG might get as case numbers drop.