Australia and England will play the first day-night Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval in December this year, adding a new flavour to one of the cricket’s oldest rivalries. The pink ball Test from Dec. 2-6 will be the second match of the 2017-18 series with Brisbane’s Gabba hosting the opener from Nov. 23-27.
While the third Ashes Test will be played at the WACA in Perth, as the Western Australia government confirmed that the new stadium won’t be ready till December. Cricket Australia hoped that they would inaugurate the new ground at the Burswood on the eve of Ashes test but the constructions have delayed the possibilities.
The Burswood venue just last month installed five drop-in pitches, but with Australia expected to field a pace-heavy bowling line-up with Mitchell Starc, Patrick Cummins, James Pattinson and Josh Hazlewood, the WACA pitch is going to pose a threat to the visiting England team.
“It’s good now we have some certainty around where the Perth Test match is going to be played,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said today. “We received advice yesterday in meetings with government … that the new Perth stadium would not be ready in time for the Perth Ashes Test.
“Coming to Perth, we knew it needed to be finished ahead of time and everything needed to come together, but it’s still disappointing. We were really hoping the Test match could be played at this magnificent new stadium.
“Nonetheless there’s lots to look forward to with tickets to go on sale very shortly.”
WACA has been one of the grounds to witness many of the Ashes historic and memorable innings being played.
Sutherland said there was a “very strong chance” for the January 28 one-day international between Australia and England to be played at the venue, while men’s and women’s Big Bash League games are expected to remain at the WACA for another summer.
“Part of the good news is there’s still a very strong chance the one-day international will be played at the new Perth Stadium,” Sutherland said.
“At this stage, it is probably unlikely any of the BBL or WBBL matches will be played at the new stadium.There is a slight chance the final could be played at the new Perth Stadium (but) let’s wait and see with that” he added.
An update from the Perth Stadium Project claimed the stadium is “82 percent complete” with 53,000 seats currently installed and more than 1,200 construction workers are on site. The update also claims “Perth Stadium is on schedule to open in time for the start of the 2018 Australian Football League season”.
Though the historic rivalry starts late this year but the tickets are already on demand, as they have been put on sale this summer season. England though will defend the urn, the Ashes after winning it in England in 2015 by a margin of 3-2.