CA places Darwin as the ‘ideal’ venue scenario for Bangladesh Tests which is due to take place next August.
Darwin Test return looms in CA ‘ideal’ scenario for Bangladesh series.
Cricket Australia is eager to divide the Bangladesh tour between the Territory and North Queensland next year, putting Darwin in the driver’s seat to host its first Test in 22 years.
The reintroduction of international cricket to Darwin this month, as part of the white-ball series against South Africa, is said to have impressed the players.
Next year will see more winter internationals, including a two-Test series between Australia and Bangladesh as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) in the Top End. The first winter Tests to be held in Australia since 2004 could be hosted in Mackay, Cairns, Townsville, or Darwin.
Todd Greenberg, the CEO of Cricket Australia, is eager to distribute the series over multiple states, so Darwin has the best chance of securing one of those Test matches.
“Ideally [we will],” Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said. “We want to make sure we continue to play cricket in lots of different locations, so the next generation of kids can see their stars.
“I spent some time with the Chief Minister there and they’ve got a strong appetite for more cricket, as have we, to play more cricket there. The conditions up there are amazing when you take out the biggest variable we have in cricket, which is weather, and you have nothing to worry about.”
Darwin mainly disappeared from the cricket calendar over the last 20 years after hosting Test matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Prior to this month’s T20Is against South Africa at TIO Stadium, Australia A played two draws in unofficial Test matches against Sri Lanka A in the city in July.
With the Great Barrier Reef Arena being renovated in 2023 and hosting many WBBL games, Mackay stands out as Queensland’s more contemporary regional location.