Australia vs India: SCG prepares pitch for Boxing Day Test
This year's Boxing Day Test between Australia and India could be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) with traditional home Melbourne battling a surge in coronavirus cases. There has been a pitch prepared at the SCG for the Test match. At the moment, there is no live sport currently in Melbourne as it struggles with hundreds of new daily infections.
Reports have suggested that Adelaide could get the chance to host the match from December 26 onwards. However, SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd said they too were keen. "We'd be very happy to host it because it's a major event and it's good for Sydney. We have the capacity to host it if that's what Cricket Australia wants," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Generally, the Boxing Day Test is followed by a match at the SCG. Now if Sydney gets to host the Boxing Day Test, a double-header in the city could be on the cards. Shepherd said the large Indian community in Sydney would relish the extra opportunity to see their national team live. "They would love both events, a double-header would be fabulous," he said.
Cricket Australia's interim CEO, Nick Hockley has said the board will do everything to host the Boxing Day Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. "In terms of Boxing Day, it's one of the most iconic events on the Australian sporting calendar. Certainly, at this stage, we are planning full steam ahead," Hockley said as per AFP.
Hockley stated if crowd can be brought in, MCG will be preferred. "As long as circumstances allow, we will be doing everything we can to play the Test at the MCG. It comes down to if we can get a crowd at the MCG, we'll play at the MCG. There's a long way to run, over four and a half months," he added.
So far, 20,697 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Australia. There have been 278 deaths as 11,320 people have recovered. Melbourne, which is the capital of Victoria, is struggling to cope up with rising cases. On Friday, Victoria recorded 466 news cases.
