The fate of this summer’s Ashes series is in the balance, with England players set to meet this week with the England Cricket Board (ECB) and the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA).
The main issue on the agenda is whether families will be able to travel to Australia before or during the Ashes tour.
The ECB have consistently maintained that player health and safety is of paramount importance and players, many of whom will be away from home for up to four months, are concerned they might not see family at all in that time.
If that was the case, it’s entirely possible players will choose to withdraw from the Ashes, placing the five-Test series in serious jeopardy.
The player concerns stems from the approach taken by the esteemed Prime Minister of Australia, who recently announced a four-phase plan to open Australia up for international travellers.
As things stand, the ability of England family members to come to Australia can only become a possibility once 70 per cent of the Australian population over 16 has been fully vaccinated and the state where the people would be visiting has achieved the same rate.
The PM was talking up his belief Australia would achieve that before the New Year, but current modelling suggests that belief is very optimistic.
In any event, the bulk of the Ashes tour takes place well before Christmas, making it even more difficult for England family to accompany the players.
If Australia does not achieve the required vaccination rate, Cricket Australia would be forced to seek some sort of exemption for player family members, which would likely include a period of quarantine and possibly other tight restrictions, similar to those currently being imposed on NRL families.
This may prove unacceptable to some English players, forcing them to withdraw from the Ashes, potentially leaving that series in tatters.
There are some alternatives, depending on what the Morrison government allows.
The Ashes tour could still go ahead, but unless England are able to bring their best squad of fit players, what’s the point?
The tour could be pushed back to 2022, as has been suggested in some quarters, with the England Test squad staying on after another T20 World Cup.
That would mean asking South Africa to swap their three-Test tour to this year, but this seems unlikely because India is due to tour South Africa at the same time, later this year.
Bangladesh is scheduled to tour New Zealand and they could be approached to play some Tests.
Australia could also ask the Black Caps if they’d be willing to come across the ditch for a Test series prior to their matches against the Tigers.
Presumably, they would want something in return, so a rematch of the 2019-20 series could be an option, only this time we’d be playing on their turf.
Failing that, the Australian summer of cricket could well comprise lots of domestic cricket and a lone Test against Afghanistan in Hobart in November!
The Prime Minister and Cricket Australia declined to comment, mostly because they weren’t contacted and the author didn’t want to allow too many accurate facts to get in the way of a sensationalist story.
Renato CARINI
Roar Rookie
'we'? Hahaha
Renato CARINI
Roar Rookie
Agreed #primadonnas
Ace
Roar Rookie
I agree with your figures but I am also hoping there are no further delays or interruptions
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Soz about that DJM, mine is Tom Moody.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Just realised it would be Brett Lee. And also Gavin Robertson and Colin Miller, in that order were the last two Aussie test debutantes born before my eldest sibling.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Nothing gave me more pride than the heights scaled by the teams composed of players born and raised in the same epoch as me. The first Australian test cricketer born after me would be Ricky Ponting I believe with Michael Kasprowicz the first Aussie test player born in the same year as me. Mark Waugh is possibly the last Aussie test debutante born before my oldest sibling and I'm buggered who would be the first born after my youngest siblings (16/1/76) - Michael Clarke perhaps?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
No idea Jeff..
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Don't you dare bring common sense into this discussion.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Cool. I did just Google. I see his cap and collar were stolen in 2019...but was that from his replacement statue?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
There was a statue of the dog Just Nuisance in Simonstown.. He had quite a history.... Should Google it if you need to have smile. Sadly it was stolen a few years back.. Probably melted down for scrap.. Too bad.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
South Africa is a country of such contrasts and I reckon CT is the epitome of that. I'll never forget my first arrival into CT, driving from Franschoek via Simon's Town (recently watched My Octopus Teacher - very cool), then up round the Cape - just kept getting better and better. Then I rounded into Hout Bay...wow. It was a 30C+ November day with bright blue skies and flat seas. Just stunning. SA has it all really; natural beauty, climate, agricultural areas to feed itself, natural resources to build itself, a population size big enough to generate a robust economy, yet not so big that it overpowers the natural environment.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Yes.. Actually I lived there for about 5 years in the mid 80s... Rented an apartment in a block called Rugby... It was 5 min walk from Newlands cricket stadium.. Watched a whole bunch of cricket and rugby back then....Newlands seating then mostly grass embankments.. I absolutely loved parking there having a few cold ones and enjoying the sport.. Not much international stuff outside the Rebel series but domestic cricket very competitive.. Very partisan too.. Big games crowds got borderline ugly towards the opposition.. That I didn't like.
DJM
Roar Rookie
Back when I was young in the Jurassic era, there weren’t any Boxing Day tests. Seem to remember the big sporting do was the Davis Cup - watching Roy Emerson and Fred Stolle beating up on some Yanks I’d never heard of, while eating leftover plum pudding and wondering why my grandmother thought I wanted a packet of hankies as a Xmas present.
DJM
Roar Rookie
You shouldn’t mention Ian Davis, Pope. He was the first Aussie test cricketer born after me. The idea that some beggar younger than me could get into the test team depressed me for months.
DJM
Roar Rookie
The b team captained by Sam Trimble, as I recall. Had a couple of decent young players in G S Chappell and D K Lillee.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Hmmm was it? I only went to the CT Test so probably why I'm mixed up re order. None at the match as I was driving!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Cape Town is the most stunning geographical setting of any city I've ever seen. Newlands I think could only be matched by Dharamsala (but only while snow was on the mountains) and I haven't watched cricket there yet, but I have been there a couple of times and I still reckon Newlands would win out. I was totally surprised by how lush the vegetation was and how tall the trees were in Newlands compared to other parts of the city.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
In Germany every city, town and village has its own beer label. And many pubs brew on site and serve it straight from a wooden barrel. Or at least when I was last there in 2003.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
It's one of World Crickets must do experiences.. Surely from a pure scenic point of view Newlands absolutely up there if not the most pleasing place aesthetically to watch cricket anywhere. . Then of course there's Capetown with its hhokes, beaches, wine routes etc. to entertain you afterwards.. And man can you have a jol in that spot..
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Weren't they in the other order? Lost the first one, Cummins came in the second? How many Castle's did you have young Jeffrey?