Manuka Oval in Canberra to become Australia's 10th Test cricket venue in the summer of 2018-19
Manuka Oval to host a Test in 2018-19
Manuka Oval in Canberra will become Australia's 10th Test cricket venue – but not for another three summers.
Cricket Australia confirmed today that the nation's capital would host its first Test when Sri Lanka tour for the 2018-19 season, with the exact details to be announced at a later date.
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The International Cricket Council's ever-changing Future Tours Program lists Australia as hosting six Tests in 2018-19; four against India and two against Sri Lanka.
With Canberra getting the nod, it's expected Blundstone Arena in Hobart would not host a Test that season. Hobart did host the West Indies last summer and this summer will see the second Test between Australia and South Africa held at Blundstone in November, the first time the Proteas have played a Test in Tasmania.
"Over several years, Canberra has demonstrated a strong appetite for international cricket, with consistently strong crowds coming to Manuka Oval for one-day international matches," said Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland.
Image Id: ~/media/51CA7745D58D4AC186C33A7D062A97FC Image Caption: Manuka Oval hosted an ODI between Australia and India earlier this year // Getty"Today’s announcement recognises the continued growth of the sport not only in the ACT but the wider region, and is a testament to the effort being placed on participation in the Territory with more than 32,000 playing cricket last season and this season on track for further increases.
"Part of our charter is to showcase the game to as many cricket fans around the nation to encourage growth, and with more than one million people living in the ACT and Southern NSW region, we believe there is a great advantage in Canberra hosting a Test match."
Manuka Oval is the first addition to the list of Australian Test venues since Darwin's Marrara Oval and Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns were used for the winter Tests of 2003 and 2004.
The Canberra ground will host its ninth one-day international later this year when New Zealand visit in December for the second match of the Chappell-Hadlee series.
Manuka has hosted eight ODIs to date, the first of which was between South Africa and Zimbabwe during the 1992 World Cup.
The 16,000-capacity venue also hosted three matches during the 2015 World Cup and Australia are undefeated in three ODIs there having beaten the West Indies (2013), South Africa (2014) and India (2016).
Manuka will also continue to host the annual Prime Minister's XI match.
"The ACT Government has invested significantly in Manuka Oval in recent years to ensure that the venue was well placed to host test match cricket," said ACT Government Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.
"Today's announcement is a big win for cricket fans in the Canberra region and for the city more broadly.
"I want to thank Cricket Australia for having the vision to bring a Test match to Canberra and I look forward to working with them on ensuring the game is an outstanding success."
Australia have lost just one of their 12 Tests in Hobart since the first at the venue in 1989-90, winning nine, drawing matches against New Zealand in 1997-98 and 2001-02 and losing to the Black Caps in 2011-12.
South Africa will become the fifth international visitor to play a Test in Hobart when they face Australia on November 12-16 this year, with NZ (four Tests), Sri Lanka, Pakistan (three each) and the West Indies the other nations to have played five-day cricket in the Apple Isle.
Image Id: ~/media/F218F496D39C44F5B2C601B4E0DD1262 Image Caption: Hobart will host it's 13th Test when South Africa come in November // GettySutherland said CA remained committed to playing international cricket in Hobart and denied Canberra's promotion as a Test venue meant the end of Test cricket in Tasmania.
"Not at all," he said. "We're always juggling the program and we're committed to sharing content around the country.
"Not just the type of content but, as demonstrated by this decision for South Africa to play the second Test match at Blundstone Arena, to share the various touring parties around the country as well.
"We've had some extensive discussions with Cricket Tasmania over the course of the planning sessions we've had for this program and we've been able to provide some certainty for Cricket Tasmania and the Tasmanian cricket community over the next three years.
"There'll be a Test match against South Africa this year, next year and the year after (will be) limited overs content.
"2017(-18) is an Ashes year so I'd be expecting England to play a one-day match or a Twenty20 match at Blundstone Arena. And then probably looking a bit further ahead to 18-19, we’ll get there with arrangements with visiting teams."
After 15,343 fans watched Australia thrash the West Indies inside three days in Hobart last summer, Sutherland is hopeful the prospect of a more competitive contest between the current first and third ranked Test nations will entice Hobart locals to attend in greater numbers this summer.
"We have worked very closely with Cricket Tasmania to provide some certainty over match content for the coming years, which we hope will grow interest and demand for attending international matches at Blundstone Arena, which is now a truly world-class venue," Sutherland said.
"This year’s match between Australia and South Africa presents a great opportunity for Tasmanian cricket fans to see two of the world’s great teams in action. We know how much Tasmanian’s love their cricket and we hope to see them in full force for this great fixture.
"This is a vital match for Australia and we know that the team will want to see a big turnout from Tasmanians to support them."