Gold Coast aims to pinch Gabba’s Test
FIRST it was the Big Bash. Now Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate wants to poach Test cricket from the Gabba and deliver it to Metricon Stadium.
The 2018- 19 Big Bash League draw was launched at Metricon Stadium yesterday, with three matches to be played at the home of the AFL’s Gold Coast Suns.
The Brisbane Heat will move two home matches from the Gabba to the Gold Coast in the expanded tournament, while the Melbourne Stars have relocated one home fixture.
The securing of BBL matches and a Twenty20 International at Metricon Stadium has taken three years of lobbying between the Suns, Gold Coast council, the State Government and Cricket Australia to increase the venue’s use. And now the dated Gabba is facing a fight to retain an annual Test match in Brisbane.
The Gabba has already copped a blow for the upcoming season, losing its status as the spiritual home of the first Test of the summer and missing out on a match against No. 1- ranked India in favour of Sri Lanka.
If hosting BBL games at Metricon Stadium is successful, then Gold Coast heavy- hitters are prepared to launch a bid for a Test match.
“One thing about the Gold Coast is we know how to put on events,” Tate said.
“This cricket event is going to be spectacular and for all the families. You take your children and it’s a great atmosphere. I would welcome Test cricket here. The facility is available.
“Let’s see how it goes with the BBL and T20 and we can look in the far future bidding for a Test.”
The Suns, who manage the stadium, have been pushing for further income streams to help alleviate exorbitant government hiring costs.
The Metricon Stadium precinct was upgraded significantly for the recent Commonwealth Games, is more modern than the Gabba, and has improved access. Drop- in cricket pitches are being curated on site.
Suns chairman Tony Cochrane said the Gold Coast wanted to prove it could host Test cricket by succeeding with the Big Bash.
“What we’d like to do is three years of Big Bash and have really strong success, which I’m sure it will be on the Coast around our holiday time – it will be huge,” he said.
“Ultimately we’ve got a fantastic stadium, so we’d like to have our own Gold Coast Big Bash side. That’s the long- term plan, no question at all.
“Our stadium is beautifully set up for the Gold Coast. It’s got about 26,000 seats which is right for the Gold Coast in the foreseeable future.
“We have the ability at some time in the future to expand by another 12,000 seats. That is realistically 15- 20 years away.
“What we’ve got to do is make sure we can build the product between now and then and have a real centre of sports excellence for everybody on the Gold Coast. We’d love to ( host Test cricket) in time.
“What Cricket Australia have put to us, which is more than reasonable, is we’ve got to prove the one- dayers and Big Bash before we can reach for maybe a junior Test game.”