MANNING TO QLD CRICKET OFFICIALS
CAIRNS mayor Bob Manning will use Queensland Cricket’s board meeting in the Far North early next week to push for an explanation as to why the region was overlooked for elite content for another season.
It was announced on Thursday that Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena will now host nine games this Women’s Big Bash League season, after Covid-related lockdowns and border restrictions forced a rethink of the entire season’s fixtures.
The “logistical challenges”, including broadcaster requirements, contributed to the decision.
Cairns, the only non-capital city to have hosted a men’s Test match, was overlooked, with Queensland Country Cricket boss Kev Maher describing the situation as disappointing.
Cr Manning used the same word to describe how he felt, especially given the parties met a month ago.
“We spoke about some of the games potentially being moved around but that was where it was left,” Cr Manning said. “I feel disappointed.
“When we were talking to Terry (Svenson, Queensland Cricket CEO), it was about us getting games up here. We want our fair share.
“We don’t want to get everything, but (something like) the WBBL would be great for Cairns, as it was (in 2019).
“We’ll meet with the board when they’re here, and that will be an opportunity for us to discuss what we can get.”
Svenson said it was Queensland
Cricket’s “intention to bring high quality games to regional centres”, and Cairns was on the list of potential venues for consideration.
“We have a strong working relationship with Mayor Bob Manning and the council, with the recent upgrades to Griffith Park a good example of where we have collaborated for the good of the community,” Svenson said. “It is our intentions to continue to look for opportunities to bring content to regional centres like Cairns.”
Maher is among those to have advocated for Cairns, but said the lack of discussion was disappointing.
“It’s disappointing for cricket, but it’s also disappointing for Cairns,” Maher said.
“After the AFL Cairns grand final, it takes about four to five weeks of work to ensure the pitch is ready to go for cricket, and if we had some lead-in time, we could have been in a position to host some of those games. Queensland Cricket should have put us on notice so we could be ready.”
Outside of the AFL, which brought four premiership games to Cazalys Stadium in 2020 and one more earlier this year, the Far North has been starved of elite content from the major codes in recent years.
Cazalys Stadium was set to host an international T20 World Cup warmup game in 2020 but that was cancelled due to Covid.
The NRL took premiership games, including finals, to almost every regional centre in Queensland except Cairns, while other codes have not looked to the tropical city.