Sport Minister holds big fears over Ashes Test in WA

The Federal Sports Minister is worried WA’s strict quarantine requirements could mean the state misses out on the fifth Ashes Test. Picture: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images
The Federal Sports Minister is worried WA’s strict quarantine requirements could mean the state misses out on the fifth Ashes Test. Picture: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images

Western Australia could be set to miss out on the fifth Test of the upcoming Ashes series if its quarantine restrictions won’t be relaxed for the cricketers.

Federal Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck fears WA won’t host a match due to the fact the cricketers simply won’t want to quarantine.

As it stands, the England team will arrive in Australia in November ahead of the first Test, slated to begin on December 8 at The Gabba in Brisbane.

The players will also arrive without their families and partners, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared he wouldn’t do any “special deals” to allow them entry into Australia.

But Colbeck believes there are “serious questions” whether a Test match in Perth will go ahead if WA maintains its stance on quarantine.

“From my understanding of the border rules at the moment, and if the Test team came into Queensland, which they currently plan to do, they’d have to quarantine,” Colbeck told 6PR Radio.

The English cricket team won’t be able to bring their families and partners with them to Australia under the nation’s current border restrictions. Picture: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi / AFP
The English cricket team won’t be able to bring their families and partners with them to Australia under the nation’s current border restrictions. Picture: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi / AFP

“The cricketers won’t quarantine, they won’t come.

“We’ve had to do a lot of work to organise quarantine arrangements for the cricketers coming to Australia. We want the Ashes tour to go ahead.

“But I’d say there’s serious questions about whether or not there would be a Test match in Perth this summer.”

The third and fourth Tests are scheduled to be played in Melbourne and Sydney respectively, with the fifth Test to commence January 14 – five days after the Sydney Test concludes.

Colbeck notes it just simply isn’t enough time for quarantine to happen.

“Having had the Tests in Sydney and Melbourne, there won’t be the time frames for quarantine to occur before coming to Western Australia,” Colbeck said.

Richard Colbeck believes the cricketers simply won’t want to quarantine again in Western Australia. Picture: Martin Ollman / NCA NewsWire
Richard Colbeck believes the cricketers simply won’t want to quarantine again in Western Australia. Picture: Martin Ollman / NCA NewsWire

“I would suggest that the possibility of a Test match in Western Australia is very slim.”

With a Test match in Perth likely to be ruled out given the current restrictions, it would leave Cricket Australia officials scrambling to find a replacement venue.

However, Colbeck believes his home state is primed to step up to the plate and save the day, and it would also allow Australian Test captain Tim Paine the perfect homecoming.

“Tasmania would love to have a Test match,” Colbeck said.

“Would love to see the Australian captain playing a Test match or captaining a Test match in his home state.

“I suspect that my Premier is talking to those that he needs to talk to, to see what he can arrange.”

Should Tasmania get the nod for the fifth Test match of the Ashes, Blundstone Arena in Hobart is the most likely venue on the Apple Isle to get the nod.

It would be the first time the Australian Test team has played an international match at the ground since 2016, when they took on South Africa.