Victoria will play South Australia and ACT Meteors in Sydney, as border closures force further changes to the WNCL schedule
Victoria forced to hit the road, star bat in isolation
Melbourne’s COVID-19 outbreak has forced Victoria on to the road for their next two domestic 50-over matches, while star opener Elyse Villani appears set to miss the games after being forced into quarantine.
The latest changes to the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) schedule were confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, with Victoria’s upcoming matches against the ACT Meteors (February 21) and South Australia (February 23) shifted to Sydney’s Blacktown International Sportspark’s secondary oval.
While Victoria’s five-day lockdown will end at 11.59pm on Wednesday night, border closures to South Australia and the ACT remain in place, forcing the change.
The border between Victoria and New South Wales is open, allowing the matches to go ahead on their scheduled dates.
However former Australia batter Villani appears set to miss both matches, after having the misfortune of inadvertently visiting what would later be deemed a ‘Tier 1’ exposure site.
Villani, who shared her plight on social media, caught a domestic flight into Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport on February 9, landing at Terminal 4 before exiting the airport. Anyone who visited Terminal 4 between 4.45am and 2pm on that date is required to isolate for 14 days by the Victorian government, after a confirmed case worked at an airport café.
Unless the exposure site is downgraded to a lower tier, Villani will be unable to accompany her teammates to Sydney.
If all staff workers at Brunetti and all customers at Brunetti return a negative result in the next day or two will that mean that #terminal4 exposure site can become a tier 2 instead of tier 1 @VicGovDH ?? #fingerscrossed— Elyse Villani (@ElyseVillani) February 13, 2021
The WNCL – alongside the resumed Marsh Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup – is not being played inside a bubble and players are not subject to the sorts of restrictions placed on the Rebel WBBL, KFC BBL or international teams earlier this summer; however, Villani was simply unlucky to be among thousands of people who moved through the terminal during that period.
It is a blow for both Victoria and the experienced right-hander, who struck 135 not out and 80 in two matches against NSW last week.
It comes after Victoria, who sit second on the table behind Tasmania, were docked 0.5 points for maintaining a slow over rate in their eight-wicket win over NSW on February 10. They did not appeal the decision.
Victoria’s scheduled clash with Tasmania in Hobart on February 28 remains up in the air, with the border currently closed.
New South Wales, who played in Melbourne on February 12 and departed the same day, are also waiting to learn whether they can travel to Hobart for their match against the Tigers on February 25.