Michael Vaughan Requests Cricket Australia To Shift Last Two Ashes Tests To Melbourne

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has requested Cricket Australia to look at the recent COVID-19 concerns and shift the last two Ashes Tests to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Before the start of play on Day two of the third Test, two family members of England players, as well as two from their support staff, tested positive for COVID-19.

This led to a panic situation in the camp and it led to Rapid Antigen tests in both camps before the start of play. Several callers in the Channel Seven team were ruled out as close contacts ahead of play on Day 2.

The fourth Test is supposed to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the final Test is supposed to be held at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. However, given the COVID-19 situation, Michael Vaughan has requested the Australian cricket board to conduct the last two Tests at the MCG.

“I think Cricket Australia have to act quickly and be proactive in terms of the situation. It’s unprecedented times,” sen.com.au quoted Vaughan as saying on Fox cricket.

Michael Vaughan suggests to play fourth Test under lights at MCG

There have been 6324 new COVID cases in the New South Wales and it is a huge risk to conduct a Test at the SCG. Thus, Vaughan suggested that the fourth Test could be a day and night affair and since they are in the same bubble at Melbourne, there will be a lesser risk of contracting the virus.

“Could the next Test match be played here in Melbourne, under lights at the MCG, to make sure we all stay in Victoria where the protocols are different to Sydney? Do we really want to risk taking two teams over to Sydney, broadcast and production staff? You get to the SCG, there’s one case in the team on day one and the Test match is off,” Michael Vaughan stated.

Even the city of Melbourne recorded 2000 cases on Monday. But Vaughan has urged Cricket Australia to think smartly and has explained that it would not be ideal to shift the teams, the supposrt staff, their families as well as broadcasters to a new venue for the last two Tests.

“Surely Cricket Australia have to be proactive and realize that it’s not going to be easy (even) staying here with what we’ve seen this morning (with the England team).

“The fact that it’s a family member (who tested positive), Christmas Day… everyone’s going to have been around that family member, so there is a chance the COVID positive could spread around the side.

“I think Cricket Australia have to act quite quickly… it would be quite sensible and reasonable to think ‘okay, this is the situation now, it wasn’t the situation a week ago, we have to act,” Vaughan stated.

Vaughan believes the protocols in Melbourne are better for COVID-19 prevention and thus it will be a great idea to end the Test series with the final two Tests there.

“It (relocating the last two Ashes Tests to MCG) could be a good possibility. What’s the best way to get those last two Test matches played in as safe an environment as possible?

“For me, the sensible way would be ‘alright, we’re all in Melbourne, we know the protocols are different here, stay here, play the next Test match and see how the land lies in 10 days’ time,'” Vaughan concluded.

Australia are in a commanding position in the third Test and look favourites to win it by a convincing margin.

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: The Biggest Concern For England Was Mixture Of Poor Technique: Nasser Hussain