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Former Australia captain Michael Clarke is agitated by a reported proposal from South Australia to chance the New Year’s Test venue from Sydney Cricket Ground to Adelaide Oval. The first Test of the new year has been hosted by SCG for decades and Clarke does not want it to change for any reason.
The reason behind the bold proposal is the weather in Sydney which creates frustration among players and organisers. The most recent example of it was the second Test between Australia and South Africa where rain played spoilsport on Day 1 on Day 2 whereas Day 3 was washed out and the Test ended in a draw.
However, the statistics suggest that 64 per cent of new year Tests at SCG have rain disruptions in the last eight years.
The development which was reported by news.com.au says that on February 3 South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas approached Cricket Australia with the controversial proposal.
"I think we had double the crowd at the Adelaide Test than we saw at the Perth Test. We often have bigger crowds than Sydney and that's despite having a far smaller population," Malinauskas was quoted as saying in the report.
"South Australians are passionate about their sport. They love their cricket, myself included, so we stand ready to work with Cricket Australia to improve their product to more people around the country."
The New South Wales-born cricketer Clarke outrightly rejected the idea as he feels that it is something should not be changed.
"Not happening," Clarke said on Big Sports Breakfast on Friday.
"Can't take Boxing Day from the MCG and you can't take new year's away from the SCG, (an) absolute no-brainer. The day that stops is the day Test cricket is finished in this country.
"Their (Adelaide) Test match is perfect, when they've got it, under lights, it's perfect, it's working so well. Why would they want to change that?" the 41-year-old asked.
