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Time to play more Top End Test cricket

Shaun Marsh is a bizarre answer to an unknown question. (AFP PHOTO / William WEST)
Roar Guru
5th April, 2016
8

In 2003 Cricket Australia tried an experiment: they decided to play Test cricket at home during the Australian winter, in Cairns and Darwin..

The two-Test series, against Bangladesh, saw Australia win 2-0.

In 2004 Australia played two Tests against Sri Lanka at the same venues.

Since then, the Top End hasn’t seen any Test cricket, but according to the ICC future tours program, Australia is scheduled to host Bangladesh for two Tests and three ODIs in August 2017.

It is unlikely that Bangladesh or Zimbabwe will play Test cricket in Australia during the summer, because they are not going to draw a big enough crowd – this could be the case for the West Indies soon as well, after their poor performances over the past summer.

Instead, Australia could play Test series against these nations in northern Australia during the winter every couple of years.

The venues are there – Marrara Stadium in Darwin and Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns have both hosted Test cricket, while Traeger Park in Alice Springs, Tony Ireland Stadium in Townsville, and Harrup Park in Mackay have all hosted first-class cricket.

These venues could rotate matches, with each ground getting either an ODI or Test match each time a team toured.

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With the summer schedule becoming more and more crowded, Australia qould benefit from playing matches at a different time of the year.

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