Of all of the changes and disappointments in the cricketing world due to COVID-19, the one set to have the largest impact is Afghanistan’s debut Test match in Australia later this year.
This is an historic clash that deserves better than the squabbling over where it will be played and how long the match will go for.
It has been 18 months since the current Future Tours Program was released, and we found that Australia would indeed play its first Test match against cricket’s newest Test nation.
Since that day, the tour group that I am a part of pencilled in that Test as one we would be definitely attending. Why? Its historic nature, to be a part of that first ever clash between the two nations at the highest level, as well as to see at close range just how players like Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman would go.
Some will scoff at this, seeing the match as a waste of time that will probably be over in two days.
To me, the result is meaningless. For cricket to survive and grow, other nations must dip their toe in, and they need to be promoted.
Zimbabwe (1992) and Bangladesh (1999) have both been relatively ignored by Australia since their elevation to Test status, as cricket Down Under becomes more concerned about money, gate takings and TV ratings than the development of other nations. It needs to be addressed as we move into this post-pandemic period.
COVID-19 has done Afghanistan no favours, and assuming they are able to tour and compete in this Test match, they will likely do so in front of an empty stadium. Again, the naysayers will suggest no one would turn up to watch them, but these are the people who rarely attend any cricket unless they are sitting at the bar.
While the match won’t draw attendance days of 10,000, outside of England and India, no other touring team is guaranteed of doing that in Australia either.
The Afghanistan Test is set to be played in Perth, which has missed out on one the four Indian Tests. There is plenty of indignation from the city given they have two Test venues and they are getting the ‘booby prize’. They believe their brand new Optus Stadium is a far better venue than the ageing facilities of the Gabba.
(Photo by Jason O’Brien/AFL Media/Getty Images)
On the other hand, Australia has not lost a Test at the Gabba since the 1988-89 season, against the West Indies, and it is no secret the national team see it as their good luck charm. As a result, Cricket Australia has chosen results over facilities and the WACA is not happy about it.
Added to this is that, due to arrangements with the venue and the fact that the men’s T20 World Cup seems less likely to go ahead this season, the Test will be played at Optus Stadium, spectators or not, even though the WACA would be a much more suitable under the circumstances.
To add more imbalance, the match is going to be a day-night Test with the pink ball, which Afghanistan have not experienced but Australia thrives in. It hands another advantage to the home team that they don’t need.
This match should have been played in Canberra, allowing a greater population well of three capital cities and large country areas the ability to turn up. Securing India for a five-Test series would also have allayed the problems of one of the five major cricket centres being deemed not good enough to host a major Test match.
What seems easy on paper obviously is not so negotiable to cricket boards around the world.
Together, this means the Afghanistan Test match will become an afterthought rather than a landmark. No one knows yet whether spectators will be able to attend, or if the day-night conditions hand Australia’s mighty pace attack another huge advantage.
While no one truly believes Afghanistan can survive the might of Australia, surely making it a traditional match would have been a fairer setting.
If the gates are opened to the public, my intention is still to be there, to witness history and hopefully some excellent cricket from an emerging team on the world stage.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
I can’t see any negatives about the Test myself. It had to be played somewhere, I’m glad it’s on a major test venue, instead of being hidden in Darwin as were Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for their first tests. The whining from WA doesn’t hold water, in my opinion. They are missing out on an India Test, but gaining a piece of cricket history. I live in Tasmania, we get bugger all International cricket, if it was played here I would be there with bells on.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Three hours over summer, WA does not have daylight saving.
Paul
Roar Guru
Thanks TB. Shows how much I know. I don't live in either place.
The Bush
Roar Guru
There’s a two hour difference, not a four hour difference...
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Less Viewers for Afghanistan, than for India, that’s for sure! That said, there may be quite an appetite for any form of international cricket in Australia come the Afghanistan Test, so maybe they are banking on that?
Paul
Roar Guru
Yeah, I'm not from the east coast ( thankfully) and forgot the Perth Test was not really a day nigher. I assumed it would finish some time after 7pm, which is after 11pm in the eastern states. I wonder how many viewers the broadcaster thinks it will get for people sitting up that late to watch a Test match?
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Though Paul, it seemed to be one of the drivers for having last year’s NZ Test as a D/N. It certainly wouldn’t have thrilled the NZ market however. Anyway, doesn’t your daylight savings approach end up in sunset being sometime around midnight on the east coast? Seems like perfect viewing time for a D/N :laughing: :laughing: Actually, the Perth D/N (as used last year) is a misnomer. Only the last 45 minutes are actually played after sunset in Perth. I’d rather finish one hour earlier and use the red ball.
Paul
Roar Guru
It's going to be a late finish on the east coast if they play a day night Test in Perth, Jeff. I know they play the odd day/night ODI and T20, but on paper this is a 5 day Test and I just can't see the broadcaster being that thrilled with a game that finishes towards midnight
Jeff
Roar Rookie
There is a lot of talk about why the Gabba was chosen over Perth for the India Test. Much of it is about Australia's winning record at the Gabba (I still feel that this is in large part because it's usually the first Test the touring team plays, when they may still be somewhat under-prepared, rather than some mystical qualities that the Gabba wicket possesses for Australia). I expect India may have had a say in the scheduling and on this point it's worth noting that India's only loss in its series win two years ago was in Perth, so I wouldn't discount the proposition that India, in fact, didn't want to play at Perth Stadium. In regard to Afghanistan, I have no issue with Perth hosting this Test. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this young team, that has come so far in such a short period of time, will go. I wish them well. I think the actual venue - Perth Stadium or WACA - is still up in the air as to which will be used. At this time, I suspect Perth Stadium has been nominated on the basis that social distancing is still in place; clearly it will be easier to achieve social distancing in a 55,000 seat stadium than an 18,000 seat ground. Should social distancing restrictions be significantly relaxed, I expect the Test will be at the WACA. This is because the WACA owns the WACA Ground, whereas it has to pay to lease Perth Stadium for its members enclosure. I was told a few years ago by the WACA that the break-even point for the WACA using Perth Stadium is an average per day crowd across the first 3 days of about 15,000 (presumably this translates to a related proportion of WACA members turning up in the members' enclosure, though I'm not clear on how the financials/crowd split works). As for it being D/N, this seems unnecessary to me, unless the broadcasters feel there is better return back into the east coast market. But somewhat unfair on Afghanistan who will already be up against it, giving the opponent they face.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Hadn’t realised the Afghanistan game is a day-nighter - seems criminal in terms of fairness and getting a decent contest, though better for the crowd figures. Canberra actually sounds like a good suggestion, not just because of proximity to population areas in general but also to where Afghan Australians live. I see that we have around 50,000 Afghan-Australians in Australia, which is not tiny and nearly two-thirds live in NSW and Victoria. More in Melbourne, but quite a few in country NSW and Vic, as well as Western and Southern Sydney. There are a few thousand in Perth, but it would be expensive for the rest to get across the Nullarbor. Canberra would get a good turnout for the novelty of a Test (as with Sri Lanka last year). Not that there is any chance they will take it away from Perth now - assuming it even goes ahead. I would also suggest that it wasn’t just a case of Brisbane being preferred over Perth. Don’t see why Adelaide should be automatically given a game - it may have more pleasing facilities and good crowds, but it is a smaller city than either Perth or Brisbane. Maybe the Indians said - if you insist on Brisbane, we’re not going to play the day-nighter in Perth.
Paul
Roar Guru
Good on you, Bill. I hope you get a chance to go and watch Afghanistan play. I completely agree about the importance of being involved in "firsts". I went to the first test played in Darwin in 2003 against Bangladesh and also the first Test Sri Lanka played at the same venue a year later. I thoroughly enjoyed both games, not so much for the cricket but for the atmosphere, with everyone having a really good time. I'm confident by the time this Test rolls around, we can get some of the public into grounds. The contests might not be an even battle, but you can be sure there will be plenty of skill shown and lots of courage, particularly from the Afghan players.