Melbourne Cricket Club CEO Stuart Fox has confirmed a second pitch is being prepared at the MCG in case the Perth Test has to be moved due to COVID border restrcitions.
Cricket Australia remains committed to staging the five-Test Ashes series as planned, but there remains genuine uncertainty around whether Western Australia’s hard border close will force the fifth Test to be shifted.
Fox said the MCG was ready and willing to host a second Test on top of the traditional Boxing Day fixture, but was hoping the much-anticipated series proceeds as scheduled.
“We’ve snuck another (pitch in) right besides (the one we’re using for Boxing Day),” he said on Sportsday.
“We’re never cheeky about these things because we’ve lost two Grand Finals and I don’t like seeing other states pinch content, but we’re ready if needed.
“If Cricket Australia accidently made a phone call to us and said that we’re needed to host a second Test, we’re (ready).
“I’ve spoken to (Cricket Australia CEO) Nick Hockley and said there’s a spare pitch there if any of the states got into trouble with a border closure and we’re happy to help out, but we know we’ve been at the opposite end of that conversation.
“I’m hoping we get this Test series away with little disruption and every state can host their Test, I think that would be a great outcome for sport in Australia rather than the disruption we’ve seen in the last 18 months.”
Victoria’s Sheffield Shield win over New South Wales – which concluded on Monday - was the first event with crowds back at the MCG since Richmond played Collingwood on July 11.