Covid-19 Effect: Cricket Australia Likely To Move Boxing Day Test From Melbourne To Adelaide

Amid rising fears of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Cricket Australia is considering to move the Boxing Day Test from its traditional venue – Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to Adelaide. Victoria is one of the most worst effected state in Australia due to the epidemic and thus the cricket board is mulling to make the move.

CA chairman Earl Eddings has called for an urgent and rare convening of the national cricket cabinet next week to discuss how the game’s $300 million season will go ahead, with senior officials keeping a close eye on developments in Melbourne and their ramifications for the game, according to a report in Sydney Morning Herald.

“there is no way the current schedule can go ahead as planned with the current state border restrictions,” a senior official told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The cricket board, while releasing its schedule for 2020-21 season, had mentioned that it is subject to change given the situation due to pandemic. According to the report, the potential for the Boxing Day Test against India to be played at a closed MCG has prompted questions about whether the marquee fixture should remain at its traditional home.

The IPL final is scheduled to be held on November 10, which means the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood would not be able to play and still complete two weeks of quarantine before the November 21-25 Test in Perth, mentions the report.