Scorchers-Stars clash postponed due to COVID case

Tonight's KFC BBL clash between the Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars has been postponed less than three hours before the first ball due to a positive COVID case.

A Stars support staff member returned a positive test on Thursday afternoon, which resulted in exposure to many of the team's playing group.

Cricket Australia said all Stars players and staff who had been in contact with the positive case undertook PCR tests as soon as possible but the results had not been received within sufficient time for the match to proceed.

CA said the league would advise of a new date for the match as soon as possible.

"While regrettable, the decision to postpone tonight’s match was the only option available given the exposures within the Stars cohort," Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, said.

"The league has a number of biosecurity protocols in place to keep our participants safe and the competition moving forward.

"These protocols are regularly reviewed in response to the risks in each state. Safety remains our number one priority and we will work with the Stars to get their side back on the field as soon as possible."

Remarkably, it's the first WBBL or BBL match to be postponed since the beginning of the pandemic.

CA said they were working with the Stars to get the club back on the field as soon as possible and hope to have a clearer understanding of whether infection has spread within the side by their next scheduled game on January 2, which is also against the Scorchers.

The match shaped as a blockbuster clash at Marvel Stadium with Australia's T20 World Cup champions in Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa going head-to-head with the in-form Mitch Marsh.

It was also set to be Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf's first game back with the Stars after signing for the rest of BBL|11.

Melbourne Stars General Manager Blair Crouch said they were disappointed for their members, fans, partners and broadcasters that the match needed to be postponed.

"But the broader health of our players, staff and the community comes first," Crouch said in a statement.

"The staff member is being managed by Melbourne Stars medical staff in consultation with Cricket Australia and we look forward to them being able to return to the group in due course.

"We have key home matches scheduled on January 2 and 3 in Melbourne, so we hope to have more clarity through testing over the next 24-48 hours."