Cricket Australia And New Zealand Cricket Board Mull Restart Of Cricket With The Trans-Tasman Rivalry

Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket Board are mulling over starting a stream of matches between the Trans-Tasman rivals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put the game to a grinding halt.

With the governments of both countries planning to open up a passage for quarantine-free play, New Zealand Cricket Board [NZC] chief David White discussed the possibility with Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts.

“I’ve talked to Kevin Roberts about that. A Tasman bubble would be terrific if it did eventuate,” David White told Sydney Morning Herald.

David White reckoned that the concept can help present opportunities moving forward and one has keep to an open mind and be flexible in order to avail the chances.

“…it would present some opportunities going forward. But I think the key is to keep an open mind and be flexible so if opportunities do arise we can take them,” he added.

“We haven’t talked specifics really. What we have talked about is conceptually the possibility of playing each other and that’s where we are at the moment,” While concluded.

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Australia and New Zealand were scheduled to play three ODIs + T20Is across the Trans-Tasman back in March

With the Test tour to Bangladesh canceled and the white-ball series against England likely to be called-off, Australia will be without any cricket during their winter. The T20 World Cup is also in serious jeopardy.

Cricket Australia has already relieved 80 percent of its staff in the wake of the financial crunch. All of their hopes now hinge on the T20 World Cup and the 300 million dollar Indian Test tour.

New Zealand’s home season which consists of Test series against Pakistan and West Indies and limited-overs fixtures against Sri Lanka are also under threat.

Both sides were scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is across the Trans-Tasman back in March, but the proliferation of COVID-19 resulted in the fixtures getting postponed after the first ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was played behind closed doors.

It will be interesting to see what conclusion does both NZC and Cricket Australia in the upcoming days.

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