Capacity crowd for SCG Test

THE SCG Test is under no immediate threat with the venue expecting to operate at 100 per cent capacity when the Ashes roll into town on January 5.

Cricket Australia is committed to staging the fourth Test in the midst of the worst Covid outbreak Australia has seen and will simply back in the latest advice from the New South Wales’ health department to ensure it can go ahead safely.

On Thursday, NSW premier Dominic Perrottet mandated masks indoors once again and introduced indoor density limits as the state’s daily number of reported Covid-19 infections exploded to an all-time high of 5715.

But the new restrictions will not reduce the SCG’s capacity of 38,000 for the New Year’s Test match and players will remain subjected to Level 4 protocols, which they are already abiding by in Melbourne.

“All systems go – looking forward to it,” SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd told the Herald Sun on Thursday.

“We’re still at 100 per cent (capacity after today’s announcements). If you can do it, have your booster shot as soon as possible. That’s my message to everybody in Australia.”

CA pulled off a minor miracle last summer by delivering the SCG its precious Test match against India in the midst of the Northern Beaches outbreak – before vaccines were available in Australia.

Crowds were capped at 25 per cent (9500) for that draw, but holding on to the showpiece match was regarded as a major win for the SCG Trust and Cricket NSW.

CA has worked closely with public health teams from each state, including when captain Pat Cummins was ruled out of the second Test after being declared a close contact by South Australian government officials last week.