Christmas Eve meeting for CA board as Sydney Test hangs in balance
Cricket Australia's board was due to hold an urgent meeting around lunchtime on Christmas Eve as a decision around the status of the Sydney Test hung in the balance.
However, there remained no guarantees as to whether a call would be made on Thursday with sources feeling CA would try to buy as much time as possible before retooling the schedule for the remainder of the blockbuster Test series against India.
Another wicket: Josh Hazlewood celebrates a wicket.Credit:AP
With the Boxing Day Test less than 48 hours away, uncertainty remained on where the third and fourth Tests of the series would be held.
With NSW pushing for Sydney to not only retain the third Test but also take the fourth Test from Brisbane, Queensland cricket officials accepted there was a risk they could lose the series finale amid concerns about the Queensland government's willingness to allow players who had been in NSW into Queensland in light of the recent NSW COVID-19 outbreak.
Several possibilities have been discussed, with the Sydney Test a chance to be relocated to Melbourne, making back to back Tests at the MCG.
The Queensland situation is delicate, with cricket officials mindful that Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's hardline stance on the NSW border could hurt their chances of retaining the fourth Test of the series.
As the Australian team went through its paces in the MCG nets on Thursday morning, CA's board was preparing to meet as the need for a decision on the Sydney Test - scheduled to begin on January 7 - loomed large.
Sources indicated CA chief Nick Hockley would provide an update on the situation later on Thursday.
More to come
Daniel is an Age sports reporter
Andrew Wu writes on cricket and AFL for The Sydney Morning Herald