Melbourne sweet but Sydney sweat on Test status in tumultuous summer

THE Boxing Day Test has been saved by the fine print of cricket’s bio-bubble, but the prospects of Sydney hosting a Test remain in grave doubt.

There was a glimmer of hope for the SCG last night after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk nominated January 8 as the earliest she would consider reopening the border to Greater Sydney.

If that eventuated, the current sequence of third Test in Sydney and fourth Test in Brisbane could technically still proceed as scheduled. But it would require a huge leap of faith from Cricket Australia, given the teams would have to travel to Sydney in early January, before Palaszczuk had even made her decision.

Any explosion in community transmissions and Queensland say it will push its timeline back 28 days. Sources believe the most likely alternative is for Melbourne to host back-toback Boxing Day and new year’s Tests, in lieu of Sydney, before the teams head to Brisbane for the series finale.

Sydney might remain a big headache for CA, but there was one major win last night, with the diligent protocols put in place by head office continuing to save the summer.

Had the Indian cricket team been normal citizens, they would not be able to gain entry to Victoria when they fly today without serving two weeks of quarantine, because the team had been in Greater Sydney up until Monday December 14.

However, CA has secured the Indian squad – and several of its own stars – an exemption from the Victorian Government which means the Boxing Day Test avoids being hit by a series-altering disaster.

CA officials will make a final call on the fate of the SCG’s new year’s Test this week, but they are desperate to give Sydney as long as possible after the number of live cases dropped to 15 yesterday.

Fox Sports will have star Kerry O’Keeffe calling the Boxing Day action from a Sydney studio, while the ABC, who are still trying to get Ian Chappell out of quarantine in South Australia, will have Jim Maxwell commentating remotely.

The risk of the Queensland border to NSW not reopening in time for the Gabba’s Test on January 15 could have major ramifications for broadcast partners, who have been scrambling to get staff out of Sydney to Melbourne as it is.

“On January 8 we will review,” Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said.

“January 8 is 28 days from an unlinked case.”