Hobart will host its first Ashes Test after winning Saturday’s race to replace Perth for the fifth and final clash of the current series between Australia and England. The Tasmanian capital defeated heavyweight competitors Sydney and Melbourne with a day-night pink-ball Test at the 20,000-capacity Blundstone Arena from January 14–18. Perth was stripped of its hosting rights earlier this week over the state of Western Australia’s strict COVID quarantine rules, which required players to quarantine for 14 days.
There are no such rules in Tasmania.
Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley said: “The submissions we received were excellent and we had no doubt that each of the venues that participated would have hosted a great event.”
“There were a number of considerations including commercial, logistical and operational factors and on balance of these, the CA Board agreed on Blundstone Arena to be the most suitable venue to host the fifth Ashes Test.”
While the Sydney Cricket Ground and Melbourne Cricket Ground are large venues, Hobart received powerful support from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck.
“To be one in Tasi, I think it would be great, especially as the Afghanistan Test didn’t go ahead for obvious reasons,” Morrison said during the week.
It makes for Hobart to lose Australia’s first Test match in November against Afghanistan, which was postponed after the Taliban regime effectively banned women from playing the game.
Cricket Tasmania Head Dominic Baker said he was thrilled to have the biggest sporting event ever in the island state.
“It’s a great day not only for Tasmanian cricket, but for Tasmania in general,” he said.
“While the conditions that have given us the opportunity to host this Test are undoubtedly unique, we are thrilled that the Tasmanians will have the opportunity of a lifetime to watch the Ashes Test in their own backyard.”
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The first Test is currently going on in Brisbane. The series then moves to Adelaide, which is also a day-night Test, followed by Sydney and Hobart, before the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
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