T20 contest could just be the start
CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE
“Obviously with the expansion of the league this year, each of the home teams will be looking for alternative places to play. It may be this year, it’s a possibility … but I think in the foreseeable future we are going to see Big Bash League cricket here now that we have the infrastructure,” Sutherland said.
“I can’t see a reason why not. It’s a very exciting time for the game. It really is a new era and … we’re very much looking forward to the summer ahead.”
The result of a collaboration between Cricket Australia, Gold Coast City Council and the Gold Coast Suns, November’s T20 international will use a $200,000 drop-in pitch.
Suns chief executive Mark Evans said it “makes sense that cricket expands into Australia’s sixth biggest city”.
“Hosting cricket at Metricon Stadium was front of mind in the early stages of redeveloping the facility and after working collaboratively with Cricket Australia over what amounts to nearly eight years, we’re excited to partner with Cricket Australia to deliver International Cricket to Metricon Stadium,” Evans said.
“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to invest heavily in our cricket infrastructure, including the curation of drop in wickets ... (and) installation of practice wickets within the Metricon Stadium precinct.”