South Australia’s bid to host the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval has been blocked by the AFL with the decider to be played at Karen Rolton Oval as it was originally scheduled.
Cricket Australia had originally expected the final to be played at Karen Rolton Oval, starting on March 26, given the drop-in pitches had already been removed from Adelaide Oval for the start of the AFL season. But CA were happy to support Malinauskas and the SACA in their bid to stage the game at the iconic venue which would have required to match to be moved forward two days to start on Monday March 24 to allow for Adelaide Oval’s ground staff to drop a single pitch into the middle of the venue the day after an AFL game that will staged there on Saturday March 22.
The AFL had initially stated it was open to cooperating to allow cricket to use the venue but that changed when concerns were raised about the condition of the playing surface for the footballers if a pitch was dropped in and then removed again on Saturday March 26, the day after the five-day final had been played, before another AFL game was set to take place on the ground on Sunday March 27.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg issued a statement expressing frustration that the final would not be played at Adelaide Oval.
“We are disappointed South Australia has been prevented from hosting the Sheffield Shield final at Adelaide Oval,” Greenberg said.
“The Sheffield Shield final is a significant event for Australia’s national sport, and we believe Adelaide Oval would have been the most appropriate venue.
“I would like to thank Premier Malinauskas for his advocacy in this matter and his passionate support of cricket and the South Australia Cricket Association which made an extremely compelling case to host the final at Adelaide Oval.
“March is a very important month for cricket including the Sheffield Shield and Premier and club cricket finals.
“We will continue to work collaboratively at all levels to ensure cricket gains and provides appropriate access to shared venues across the country.”
Malinauskas had earlier in the week told 5AA radio in Adelaide that his office had received a “galling” request from an AFL “entity”, likely one of the Adelaide based AFL clubs, for financial insurance cover in case an AFL player was injury due to the surface being unstable if the Shield final was staged at the ground.
“We have received a request, it’s not from cricket, I won’t say what entity it is in footy,” Malinaskas said.
“What I would say is we are asking for people to act rationally and pragmatically in the interest of fans.
“I’ve got to say it’s a little bit galling that people are trying to use an opportunity to look after fans as an opportunity to slug the taxpayer and I won’t be having it.
“I’m not naming any names, I’m just saying my government is not going to be giving cash so they get out of the way of something everybody thinks should happen.”
The Shield final has not been hosted at a multipurpose venue in Australia since 2012 due to the encroachment of the AFL season into the month of March, which had notionally been a cricket month in Australia as Greenberg alluded to.
South Australia is hosting their last home and away game at Karen Rolton Oval this weekend against Queensland while the Adelaide Crows will host their first AFL game of the season at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria are all vying for the other spot in the final as the final Shield round begins on Saturday.
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
