CRICKET LOSS HARD TO GET BACK
CRICKET fans hoping to see a one-dayer between Australia and South Africa at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena this summer have been stumped without a ball even being bowled. The much-anticipated match has been called off, meaning Tasmanian’s capital will no longer host an international men’s cricket match this season.
All the eyes of the cricket world were set to beam into Hobart in January when Australia was scheduled to host the Proteas at Blundstone Arena.
It would have been the first of the three-match series.
That’s no longer going happen and it’s not just Tassie cricket fans that are the losers.
Cricket has a massive worldwide television audience and the exposure for Hobart and Tasmania would have been invaluable for the state’s tourism industry.
The reason for the cancellation is that South Africa is prioritising its domestic T20 league.
CA tried to find alternative dates but was unable to do so with a cramped 2023 schedule.
That free television coverage has now been lost and is almost impossible to recover. Now, Blundstone Arena will host a women’s T20I match between Australia and Pakistan on Australia Day. It should be a great day with awesome cricket on show but the numbers of people watching the game won’t compare.
Cricket Tasmania CEO Dominic Baker was staying positive about the move. He said while the situation was disappointing for all involved to lose the ODI match, the rescheduling allowed the state to host women’s international cricket for the first time in six years.
“We’re looking forward to having such a high calibre of female players joining us here in Hobart, giving our fans the opportunity to experience and enjoy some international cricket this summer,” Mr Baker said.
“It’s disappointing to have another men’s international game removed from the schedule in Tasmania, it highlights the lack of international content that the state receives. However, we are working closely with Cricket Australia on our international fixtures calendar to see what opportunities can be pursued for our Tasmanian cricket fans in order to make up for this loss.”
That’s a good sign. Cricket Australia does need to step up and help find Tassie another fixture.
Granted, Tassie did hit the jackpot earlier this year when the Fifth Ashes Test was moved to the Apple Isle because of Covid restrictions in Western Australia.
The success of that event should show Cricket Australia that Tassie fans are keen to see more first-class cricket at Bellerive.