Geelong venue confirms interest in hosting T20 international between Australia and Sri Lanka early next year
International cricket at Kardinia Park?
International cricket could be headed to Geelong this summer, with Simonds Stadium management confirming their interest in hosting one of the Twenty20 Internationals slated to be played against Sri Lanka early next year.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play three T20 double-headers down under in February, but the venues for the series have yet to be confirmed by Cricket Australia.
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust Chief Executive Chris Cochrane said Geelong had expressed its interest in holding one of the matches, after the stadium played host to a KFC Big Bash League warm-up match between the Melbourne Renegades and Stars and a two-day warm-up match between Victoria and West Indies last summer.
“We’re in negotiations with Cricket Australia all the time about upcoming events, and Sri Lanka are part of the T20 exercise next year, so we’ve put our hand up because we want to be part of it,” Cochrane told News Ltd.
“We’re talking to Cricket Australia about that possibility. It could be a T20 game, it could be a tour game.
“We’re ICC accredited, so our focus is on the T20 matches.
“So whether it’s Sri Lanka or another party over the summer, it depends on their scheduling and whether or not they want to put a game here.”
A Cricket Australia spokesman said venues for the series had not been finalised.
“As we have confirmed, Sri Lanka are due to tour towards the end of the 16/17 summer,” the spokesman said.
“Piecing together the summer schedule is a complex task.
“Venues and associated tour matches for this tour have not yet been finalised.
“We expect to be in a position to announce this over the coming months.”
The three matches between Australia and Sri Lanka are due to be played on February 17, 19 and 22, and will be held as double-headers alongside the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars and a yet-to-be-confirmed opponent.
The fixtures are part of a number 2016-17 summer that will see four nations tour Australia.
South Africa and Pakistan will each play a three-Test series against the home side, while Pakistan will also play a series of five one-day internationals in January.
The Black Caps will tour in early December for a three-match ODI series to defend the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, the matches scheduled in between the South Africa and Pakistan Test series.