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Day-night Tests will play a big part in deciding future match venues, Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland says.
Hobart’s Bellerive Oval might considered too far away from the city centre and its climate too cold for play that stretches into the evening.
Despite those fears Sutherland denied Hobart had been put on notice to produce a crowd or lose future international red-ball fixtures.
“Here is a great venue for cricket,” Sutherland told ABC Radio on Friday.
“We continue to work very hard with authorities down here to ensure cricket continues to be popular.”
But it’s too early to confirm if Hobart will host one of Australia’s six Test matches during the 2016/17 season, with Sutherland saying there are many considerations to work through.
“One of our key considerations with that is going to be day-night cricket.”
Adelaide’s inaugural day-night Test in November proved a success with huge crowds attending to see Australia play New Zealand.
Asked about Hobart’s eligibility to host a day-night Test, Sutherland admitted the weather may play a factor.
“You could, but it would probably be pretty cold.”
And Bellerive’s location on the city’s suburban eastern shore could also work against it.
“It is better to be played at venues close to the city centre where people can close their books and computers and walk down to the ground,” Sutherland said of day-night Tests.
He denied there is pressure for Hobart to produce a crowd during the current match and that disappointing fan numbers would raise Canberra’s Manuka Oval as a more attractive option.
“The challenge of recording big attendances at this time of year when people are at work and kids are at school is difficult, it doesn’t matter where you are,” Sutherland said.
He admitted that Manuka proved itself as an international venue during the 2014 World Cup.
“I don’t really see it as being a Hobart-Canberra confrontation,” he said.
“The way we look at it is that we need to make decisions based on balance.”
Cricket Australia was pleased with the crowd of 5927 which passed through the gates at Bellerive on Thursday.
There had been media reports based on ticket sales that the Hobart venue would struggle to attract a crowd of 10,000 over its first four days.
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