Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland hasn’t dismissed the idea of Sydney’s ANZ Stadium hosting the final of the 2015 World Cup.
The Sydney Olympic Park venue will hold its first international cricket match on Wednesday when Australia play India in a Twenty20 match.
In a report in News Limited newspapers, Cricket NSW boss Dave Gilbert suggested the 82,000 capacity at the ground makes it a possible rival to the MCG when a decision is made for the hosting of the World Cup final in three years’ time.
Although Gilbert himself concedes the chance of the iconic MCG – which hosted the only other World Cup final to be held in Australia or New Zealand in 1992 – not being given the rights for 2015 are slim, Sutherland said the competition could be tougher than many think.
“We might just read into it with the Twenty20 match being played on Wednesday night at the Olympic stadium, the first international match being played at the Olympic stadium in Sydney, that NSW might be making a little sly move to stake their claim for the final,” Sutherland told Melbourne radio station SEN.
“That venue has been approved for international cricket and I know there’s a great deal of interest mounting for that (the final), everyone wants the premium matches.
“It will be very interesting to see how that unfolds. The MCG’s obviously got the history of holding the World Cup final in 1992 between England and Pakistan and we’ll see how it turns out.”
The 2015 World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand in February and March but venues and specific dates are yet to be confirmed.
Samof Mosman
Guest
The world cup should not hold matches at stadium australia, the quater finals should be held at the SCG, the Gabba, Eden park and Wellington Regional Stadium. The semi finals should be held at Adelaide Oval and Eden Park and the final should be held at the MCG
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Hi Ed - beat me to it by 24 hours. I've always strongly believed that since the 1992 semis and final went Auckland/Sydney/Melbourne, it should go the other way this time for our Trans-Tasman buddies. I know, I know, I know... Sacrilege to some, but I am trying to think outside the square (or in the Melbourne Cricket Ground's case, circle!) for the benefit of the sport internationally. I'd be perfectly fine if the 2015 edition saw the first semi-final at the MCG, second semi-final at Wellington's Westpac Stadium and the final at Eden Park, Auckland (gasp! shock! horror!). As for Homebush as a ODI venue following on from its T20 debut? I couldn't care less really (and that's coming from a cricket fan). Keep Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but if administrators find crowds easier to lure to the Olympic site for T20/ODIs for Big Bash and/or World Series games then so be it. A World Cup is different. Maybe with first-round games at either Homebush or the SCG (or even better, both!) that would be fine. Any second round/super Six/quarter-final games should probably stay at the SCG, however. So, World Cup final 2015 in Auckland, people. You know you want to be kind to the Kiwis - at least sometimes!
Jason
Guest
Totally agree (and I am a member of the SCG and ANZ!!!)
Happy Hooker
Guest
There is no chance the final will be anywhere else other than the MCG. This is just James Sutherland trying to make out that the MCG has some competition for hosting the final, in the hope that a competitive process will deliver a good deal for Cricket Australia
Nate Hornblower
Guest
Stadium Australia is NOT a cricket ground. Its fine for T20 cricket and that is about it. MCG has to host the final & SCG get a semi final. Even contemplating an idiotic suggestion such as this is typical of cricket administrators who have $$ spinning in their eyes instead of thinking about what is best for the game of cricket. So much for being the stewards of the game. CA, stop taking a leaf out of the BCCI book, we can see what good they have done for the Indian cricket team.
jamesb
Guest
Vas I think its best the 2015 world cup final should be at the MCG. I always say the SCG is the perfect cricket ground, but with a larger capacity, MCG is the ideal ground. Stadium Australia, I'm still not sold if it is a cricket ground. The dimensions of that ground are not perfect and for that, I would never hold a world cup final there. Also Vas, can you imagine the outcry down south if the MCG is overlooked for the final and that ether SCG or homebush gets it They'll be saying NSW bias.
Vas Venkatramani
Guest
As a proud Sydneysider, the ODI World Cup final should never be moved from the MCG. Most history, biggest capacity, and it is CA headquarters. Moving it to Stadium Australia would be one step closer to us taking the lustre away from our historic grounds, similar to what India did by taking matches away from the Wankhede, Eden Gardens, Kotla etc to go to little grounds in Ahmedabad, Nagpur etc. I don't mind T20 going to Stadium Australia to try and attract more Sydneysiders to the cricket. But when it comes to the major ICC events, Sydney's ground will always be the SCG. And the SCG should host a semi-final in the 2015 World Cup, not the final.