T-RRIFIC AUSSIE PITCH
Chance to watch cricket stars in city deal
CRICKET superstars like David Warner, Steve Smith and Ellyse Perry could be cracking sixes at Cazalys Stadium later this year as part of a deal being brokered to host international T20 matches in Cairns.
Cricket Australia, Cricket Queensland and AFL Cairns are in deep discussions to have both the Australian men’s and women’s cricket teams play a double-header weekend in FNQ.
Who they would play is mouth-watering.
THE Australian men’s and women’s national cricket teams are on the verge of agreeing on a deal to play international T20 matches at Cairns’ Cazalys Stadium later this year.
Cricket Australia, Cricket Queensland and AFL Cairns, which owns Cazalys Stadium, are in deep discussions to play a double-header weekend in FNQ, with both of Australia’s national shortest-form teams represented.
Initial plans will have the men’s team face the West Indies in a T20 contest with the women’s team to play New Zealand.
The men’s game would bring the reigning T20 world champions, the West Indies, to Cairns, as well as world cricket superstars like David Warner, Aaron Finch and likely Steve Smith.
While dates and times are yet to be confirmed, the two games are likely to act as a double-header, with the men playing under lights, or the games could be played on consecutive days.
A Cricket Australia official yesterday could not confirm the dates for the Cairns contests but said the intention was to play regional practice games before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with Cazalys Stadium “probable” to be in line for games.
In the lead-up to the World Cup, to be played across October and November this year, the Australian men’s team are set to play a number of warmup games in regional areas, with Darwin and Townsville also in line to pick up fixtures.
Townsville is in line to host Zimbabwe and Australia.
The tournament begins on October 18, with Australia’s Far North fixture to be played in the first week of the month.
Queensland Cricket’s chief executive officer Terry Svenson this week praised Cazalys Stadium’s facilities.
“Queensland Cricket has made no secret of our ambition to bring elite cricket to Cairns and regional Queensland, which we are hoping can be as soon as the 2020-21 summer, however at this stage no decision has been made on what this might look like,” he said.
“Our recent experience with playing a WBBL game at Cazalys Stadium in 2019 with the Brisbane Heat was extremely positive. The facilities and pitch at the ground were great and we received fantastic local support, so the foundations are there for cricket to keep playing big matches in Cairns.
“We will continue to have constructive talks with Cricket Australia and Cairns Regional Council around men’s and women’s schedules for the coming seasons and what this could mean for fans in Cairns and regional Queensland.”
Cricket Australia have formal plans to announce the regional games at the end of March this year.
Cazalys Stadium has hosted three elite cricket games in the past few years, including a WBBL contest, a Sheffield Shield game a Pakistan tour match under lights.
“I know that they were looking to the north for some warm up games for the T20 World Cup later in the year, but just what they are I’m not aware of,” local cricket stalwart Kevin Maher said.
OUR RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH PLAYING A WBBL GAME AT CAZALYS STADIUM IN 2019 WITH THE BRISBANE HEAT WAS EXTREMELY POSITIVE. QUEENSLAND CRICKET CEO TERRY SVENSON