IT’S WORTH A BASH
Christmas Day game may come
CRICKET: The Big Bash League’s inaugural Christmas Eve cross-town derby in Sydney is likely to be used by Cricket Australia as a test case for a controversial move to Christmas Day in 2019.
The Thunder and the Sixers’ showdown at Spotless Stadium on the night before Christmas is tipped to break television ratings records this summer.
But while players have embraced the new timeslot, Test star Josh Hazlewood has warned he doesn’t want Christmas encroached on any further.
Christmas Day fixtures are popular in the NBA and other international sports, and Cricket Australia is adamant it can make the concept work here – particularly if the December 25 match-up is a derby showdown between two sides based in the one city.
Hazlewood said Christmas Eve would be watched closely by the powers that be, but he did not want CA to push the holiday festivities any further.
“I think Christmas Eve is as far as we can go,” he said. “I still like Christmas Day off.
“I guess we’ll see how it goes this year – whether it’s a decent crowd ... it suits some people and everyone has their own opinion. We’ll see how it goes.”
The expanded BBL will run longer than the Indian Premier League and well beyond its previous popular school holiday slot. However, CA denies it risks overkill.
In all, the vastly expanded BBL season will have 59 matches – up from 43 last season – across 61 days, with the first ball to be bowled at the Gabba on December 19. By comparison, this year’s eight-team IPL season lasted 50 days.
BBL chief Kim McConnie said consolidating a full homeand-away schedule over the next three years was the priority. “I think it’s actually what fans expect,” she said.
“They also want to see the BBL go to new places.
“It had such a great reception going to places like Launceston and Alice Springs (last season), and this morning my taxi driver was so excited the Brisbane Heat were going to be playing on the Gold Coast.”
The Heat (two) and the Stars (one) will host matches at Metricon Stadium in each of the next three seasons.
Fox Sports will broadcast all games and the Seven Network will show 43 matches.