PUT US TO THE TEST
Tassie match bid P6
AUSTRALIAN skipper Tim Paine’s dream to play a Test in his home state could come true with the Afghanistan match to be postponed and replaced with an alternate Test series.
News Corp understands the postponement of October’s T20 World Cup later this week will also delay the inaugural Test against Afghanistan, scheduled for Perth in late November.
However, CA has a contract with Perth’s Optus Stadium to provide a Test each summer, and will instead bring an opponent to Western Australia for a two-match series in October, with the second Test possibly to be played at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena — one of many scenarios being canvassed.
The series would be a lead-in to the clash with India. The Indian series already has its venues locked in, and the visitors are steadfast in only playing a four-match series, leaving Optus Stadium out in the cold. A formal request from CA has not been made to Cricket Tasmania, but News Corp believes there has been an informal query as to whether a Test pitch could be prepared to host an October Test. Due to infrastructure issues surrounding the removal of cricket sight screens — resulting in no football goalposts being erected at the ground — Blundstone Arena has been unable to host football all winter. The Tigers have already been having centre wicket practice, meaning the venue would have no issues in having a pitch prepared for October.
CT chairman Andrew Gaggin said he was hopeful Tasmania could regain its Test status. “We’ll continue to work with CA on how Tasmania can benefit from any potential new content, especially Test matches,” Gaggin said.
“We’re willing and able to have the venue ready for any additional international content. “I’m committed to Tim Paine captaining the Australian team on Tassie soil, and we’ll be knocking on all doors that might lead us to it.”
Paine has played 31 Tests, including 19 as captain, but is yet to play a Test in his home state. If he finished his career without a home state Test, he would be the first skipper to do so since Victorian Henry “Tup” Scott more than 130 years ago.
The 35-year-old has spoken previously about his desire to play at his home ground before his Test career is over.
“Something you’d like to tick off over your Test career is play a home Test match and be a captain. Out here would make it even more special,” Paine said last month. But an October Test series could clash with what is expected to be the rescheduled Indian Premier League, meaning Australia’s star players such as David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins might be forced to miss the lucrative T20 series.
Hobart has not hosted a Test match since 2016.