South Australia has reportedly made an audacious bid to snatch the New Year’s Test from the grasp of Sydney and move it to the Adelaide Oval.
Inclement weather has proven to be a frustrating hindrance for the Sydney Test for several years, but frustration reached boiling point during South Africa’s tour of Australia this year.
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The first two days of play at the Sydney Cricket Ground were briefly halted due to weather delays, before the entire third day was washed out due to the constant downpour.
Such has been the influence of bad weather on the New Year’s Test, ABC meteorologist Thomas Saunders estimated rain has affected Test cricket a staggering 64 per cent of the time in the last eight years in Sydney.
With the negative discourse from fans and some cricket analysts alike, it’s led to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) to float the idea of snatching the New Year’s Test and hosting it in Adelaide, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
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One of the driving factors behind Malinauskas and the SACA’s approach centres around the strong turnouts at the Adelaide Oval, no matter the opponent.
During Australia’s two Tests against the West Indies to kick off the summer of cricket last year, just over 86,000 fans packed into the Adelaide Oval compared to 42,723 who attended the Perth Test.
As it stands, Adelaide will once again play host to an Australian Test match against the West Indies, with the report claiming it will take place on the Australia Day weekend next year.
Securing the New Year’s Test wouldn’t be the first time Malinauskas has made a big splash in the Australian sporting landscape after producing the winning bid to host the AFL’s ‘Gather Round’, where every team plays in Adelaide for one round, similar to the NRL’s Magic Round.