Covid-19 outbreak forces Queensland out of the state while CA schedule four more matches including a day-night Shield fixture between WA and Tasmania in Perth
This week’s postponed Sheffield Shield clash between Queensland and Tasmania has been moved to Adelaide with the Bulls set to fly out of Queensland on Saturday due to growing concerns about border closures following a Covid-19 outbreak in Brisbane.
The fixture was originally to begin last Tuesday at Ian Healy Oval in Brisbane but the announcement of four new Covid-19 cases in Queensland forced the match to be postponed with Tasmania making the swift decision to fly home, much to the frustration of Queensland Cricket (QC) chief executive Terry Svenson.
Cricket Australia has instead now shifted the fixture to Adelaide and it will be played at Karen Rolton Oval starting on October 7. The Marsh Cup 50-over clash between the two sides that was due to be played on Sunday in Brisbane has been postponed and has yet to be rescheduled.
Two more Sheffield Shield fixtures have been added to the previously bare men’s domestic schedule with Queensland to remain in Adelaide to face South Australia in a Marsh Cup clash on October 13 at Karen Rolton Oval and a Sheffield Shield clash starting on October 15 at Adelaide Oval.
Tasmania will travel to Perth to play Western Australia in a Marsh Cup game on October 15 and a Sheffield Shield clash starting two days later. That match will be a day-night pink-ball fixture, giving Test batsman Cameron Green practice for the day-night Ashes Test in Adelaide, having only previously played one pink-ball match which was his Test debut in Adelaide last year.
CA also confirmed that they were still working through plans to try and get Victoria and New South Wales out of their respective states to participate in the competitions with both teams still stuck at home due to border closures with other states.
“Cricket Australia, Cricket NSW and Cricket Victoria are working closely with state and territory governments on the scheduling of matches for Victoria and New South Wales,” CA said in a statement.
There were plans for both sides to enter 14-days of hotel quarantine in South Australia next week before playing as many as four Shield matches and five Marsh Cup games beginning at the end of October, but a large spike in Covid-19 cases in Melbourne has appeared to have stalled plans.
Fixtures
Marsh Sheffield Shield
Oct 7-10: Queensland v Tasmania, Karen Rolton Oval Oct 15-18: South Australia v Queensland, Adelaide Oval Oct 17-20: Western Australia v Tasmania, WACA Ground
Marsh One-Day Cup
Oct 13: South Australia v Queensland, Karen Rolton Oval Oct 15: Western Australia v Tasmania, WACA Ground (D/N)
Alex Malcolm is an Associate Editor at ESPNcricinfo
Source: ESPN Crickinfo