“They are deadest determined to play in Sydney”: CA commended for approach to New Years Test
Soaring NSW COVID case numbers have brought about considerable debate over what the best move for Cricket Australia is for the Sydney Test.
NSW recorded over 11,000 cases on Wednesday and the upward trend suggests numbers likely to grow in the coming days.
However, the SCG is due to host the New Year's Test in just over a week’s time and soaring COVID numbers could complicate numerous facets of the match.
In Melbourne, where COVID cases are lower, Channel 7's broadcast team were wiped out for Day 2 after a staff member tested positive, while the English side was late arriving to the ground on the same day when undertaking rapid tests after a family member returned a positive test.
Despite similar circumstances likely in Sydney on an increased basis, The Australian’s Peter Lalor believes Cricket Australia are “determined” to keep to tradition.
Speaking to SEN Test Cricket after Australia went 3-0 up in the series on Tuesday, Lalor commended CA for their approach.
“We will go to Sydney as planned,” Lalor confirmed.
“I had a word to Cricket Australia this morning (Tuesday)… they are deadest determined to play in Sydney and they will play in Sydney and I admire them for this.
“Cricket Australia get a lot of criticism for the things they do and fair enough in a lot of cases, but in this situation they deserve praise for doing the hard yards on these tours.
“Nothing would have been easier than to confine this tour to two venues or one venue or do as everyone was suggesting yesterday (Monday), ‘You can’t go to Sydney, you can’t go to Hobart, stay in Melbourne’.
“Yeah, you could stay in Melbourne and life would be easier, it would be more affordable and probably it would be even more sensible, but the cricket to people, you see how important it is in this experience here at the MCG over the last three days.
“It’s been thrilling to hear the crowd engage with the Test match like this, and people in every state should get this. I’m so sorry Perth.”
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard recently suggested the state would change its protocols in regards to close contacts so the Test match can go ahead.
Currently, all close contacts have to isolate for seven days, which could have had severe consequences for Channel Seven and the England side had the Boxing Day Test been played under the same restrictions.
The Sydney Test and the following match in Hobart are essentially dead-rubbers, Australia sealing a serious victory with a crushing win in the Boxing Day Test to move 3-0 up.