NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has realised that the quickest way to the electorate’s heart is to bring big name sporting events to Sydney.
Those from the harbour city have looked longingly in a southerly direction for years now as Melbourne hosted one huge sporting event after another.
Most of the internationally recognised events live in Victoria.
The Melbourne Cup, Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Australian Open tennis are just a few of the events that have ensured the city can, without exaggeration, lay claim to be the sporting capital of the nation.
Sydney might be the place for postcards, but Melbourne holds the beating heart of a country that lives and breathes sport.
Now, the two states are at war over the hosting rights for the final of the 2015 ICC cricket World Cup.
Who said one-day internationals were dead?
O’Farrell has, ever so slowly, made the big event a part of Sydney’s landscape again.
It’s a much needed change in thinking for a state that had lost its way when it came to hosting the cream of the sporting crop.
He sent Queenslanders into white hot rage by ensuring New South Wales would host two State of Origin games next year and then there was the capture of Manchester United who’ll take on an A-League all stars side in the middle of 2013.
The Premier was quoted in yesterday’s paper as saying that “Sydney is the major events capital of Australia.”
That’s a big statement, but ultimately one that will require far more actions to back it up.
The only problem is the venue.
No matter how hard you change the dimensions, ANZ Stadium isn’t a cricket ground.
At the moment, the stadium is the home of Big Bash League battlers, the Sydney Thunder, but it’s not a place where boundaries are hard to come by.
It’s fine for Twenty20 hit and giggle, but when it comes to playing the World Cup final, a game of that magnitude deserves to be at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
It’s the undoubted home of cricket in Australia.
The ground calls fans down the Yarra river from the city where pubs empty around game time and the pilgrimage towards the stadium, that is clearly visible from the CBD, begins.
The atmosphere on the day of a big event in Melbourne is electric and unmatched.
Sydney Olympic park has become a much more palatable proposition on game day than in the past.
There’s more bars and restaurants than their used to be.
NRL grand final day was livelier outside the ground than ever before.
It deserves a semi-final, but the decider should be staged at a traditional cricket venue.
Sh``
Guest
I support MCG even being a Sydneysider. Anyways what's wrong with SCG? Can anyone please put a light?
Ross
Guest
Having watched the Aus v SL T20 at ANZ stadium i'm not sure why we play cricket there. (aside from it holds more people than the SCG) From a purely bums on seats perspective MCG would have to hold the final. SCG & the auckland will probably hold the semi's. We'll probably find that Adelaide oval, GABBA, Wellington & Napier will host the quarters. Also guessing the draw will be manipulated so that aus don't play NZ until quarters at the earliest.
millane
Guest
"... in our most important regions".... lol
HonJohn
Guest
Haha. WoW!!! It staggers me that someone would go to so much effort to belittle another sport - and city. There's a reason the AFL is the biggest sporting organisation in the country. It has the best product. But whatever, each to their own - all sports have their own qualities.
Jake
Guest
It Should Be Like this Quarter finals Gabba, SCG, WACA, Westpac Stadium Semi Finals Adelaide Oval, Eden Park Final MCG
Bob
Guest
The boundaries at EP are tiny and it's terrible for viewing. It's a rugby ground hopeless for cricket. You'd need to score 350 to win and wouldn't bother to bowl spin. Seddon Park is much better
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Objections overruled! And I must insist that the prosecution compose itself, and consider what they are saying before approaching the bench again!
Daniel
Guest
I had always thought that MCG would be the only ground that could be considered for a Cricket world cup final in australia. First is that it is the biggest stadium in australia, 2nd is the fact that it i was the 1st test ground. I think the big bash shows that the ANZ stadium should never host cricket in the first place.
Tony
Guest
Bakkies, Lancaster Park is rooted mate, they'll never ever be another rugby or cricket game played there ever again.
Brewski
Guest
@ simmo, i am not a Victorian , i am Sydney/NSW born and bred, and i really can't follow your line of thinking, because frankly it's just nonsense, you really have some issues. You can't watch RL !!, so blame the AFL !!
simmo green
Guest
On the contrary I tend to think those posts provide some balance and perspective. What Victorians enjoy in their spare time is of no consequence to me, but I do object to the constant campaigns conducted by the Fairfax press and Channels 7 and 10, which are directed to a demographic that view the AFL as the regional peculiarity that it is. I object to the zealots, I object to attention seekers and I object to those that crave validation for this game in our most important regions. I object to the historical lies that attach themselves to the game's development, I object to South Melbourne and Fitzroy representing themselves as Sydney and Brisbane and I object the contributors here that persistently push the cart of self interest. I would like, as would the entire east coast of this continent, for Foxsports to give us a 24 Rugby/Rugby League channel, but I'm forced to pay a subscription for a service that does not meet my needs Not too much to ask, after all creating a presence for either Rugby or Rugby League in Victoria is the least of our concerns
Bakkies
Guest
Lancaster Park as far as I know they haven't decided on whether they will rebuild it. There are some planning discussions but there is a risk that if the city suffers more earthquakes it could go again. If the World Cup is in Feb/March it may clash with Super Rugby as the Canes play at the Cake Tin.
Brewski
Guest
@ simmo green Considering your previous 2 posts are ......... simmo green said | December 25th Wow, sensitive are we editors? Won’t publish anything that provides a true perspective of the AFL? Can’t deal with the reality that it’s a nothing sport? You need to man up and allow a little free speech simmo green said | December 28th Q: In what code do you get to represent once cockroach infested cafe strip against a grimy inner city suburb best known for overpriced pizzas and celebrity gangsters? Too hard? OK Q: In what code do u get to represent a re-located inner city suburb of Melbourne against another re-located inner city suburb of Melbourne? Still don’t know? OK Q: In which code can you play for colonial outposts best known for shark attacks and peculiar nightlife? Having trouble? OK Q: Which is the least known sport in the universe? a) Bog snorkelling b) AFL c) Bulgarian rat strangling ............. Sounds like you have a pretty big insecurity complex yourself simmo.
simmo green
Guest
Wow, another piece that camouflages the greatest insecurity complex in the Commonwealth. Very creative though, inferring that a dirty brown waterway and the MCG cast some sort of magical spell over the punters. Disappointed that you failed to include a VFL angle though. You guys need to grow up and stop craving attention
TJ
Guest
Apologies Glenn
Brewski
Guest
The 2006 national census state cricket participation rates for males over 15 NSW 3.0% Vic 4.8% Qld 2.6% SA 4.7% WA 4.6% Tas 4.5% If you are referring to this, which is a very interesting statistic, seeing NSW is commonly known as the powerhouse of Australian cricket. What these stats confirm IMO is the very close connection between Australian Rules Football and cricket particuarly at grass roots level, in the southern states. But i do agree with you that Melbourne is the sports capital of Australia and considering the vast array of top shelf sports over the course of the year, the sporting capital of the world.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Where did you find that?
Jason
Guest
By the way, how many grounds will have proper pitches by 2015 rather than drop in ones?
Renegade
Guest
Adelaide second.....WTF?!
Renegade
Guest
ANZ has a great view from most seats as well....the problem is the size of the field is not exactly suitable for Cricket. In terms of a cricket field, ANZ is far better than Eden Park. That being said, i would still host the NZ semi final there.