Magazine - ANZ to take on MCG in bid for World Cup

By Editor in Cricket on 8th Dec 2009 6:00

After gaining accreditation to host one-day internationals, ANZ Stadium is boldly eyeing off the 2015 World Cup final in a move that will jolt the nation's traditional big-match cricket venue, the MCG.

Australia is bidding for the 2015 tournament and, if successful, the Sydney Olympic Park ground intends to challenge Melbourne head-on.  The other main beneficiary of the announcement is Cricket NSW, who become the only state body to have two international venues to negotiate with. ANZ's accreditation will allow them to bid for ODIs from next summer, when England and Sri Lanka visit.

Sri Lanka plays three ODIs before the Ashes, while England plays in seven ODIs after the Test series.  The Herald understands that ANZ Stadium is only interested in applying to host matches they believe can attract more than 50,000 spectators. With Muttiah Muralitharan recently hinting at retirement after the one-day World Cup in 2011, any match he plays in Sydney could draw a significant crowd as his final game in the city.

And any of the early ODIs against England, when the series would be alive, would also hold appeal.

The decision was made by the chief executives council at an International Cricket Council meeting in Dubai yesterday, despite ANZ Stadium not meeting specified requirements on ground size in relation to one boundary. However, sources said that up to 60 per cent of international grounds failed to meet the ICC's size specifications, including New Zealand's Eden Park, while there is also doubt about the narrow layout of Adelaide Oval.

The ICC makes exceptions for traditional venues and in the case of ANZ Stadium, inspector Chris Broad took into account its record of successfully staging domestic one-dayers and Twenty20s.

While the prospect of eventually playing Test matches at ANZ Stadium has not been scrapped, it remains highly unlikely as Cricket NSW and the SCG Trust move to finalise a new long-term deal.

Cricket NSW said they were pleased for ANZ Stadium, but the news would not affect their renegotiations with the SCG, and each ground's proposal would be assessed on its merits. The state body and the SCG have already held preliminary talks and will soon trade proposals for a new deal, while ANZ is also expected to submit a proposal for Cricket NSW to assess. The redeveloped SCG has a 46,000 capacity, while the Olympic stadium can seat 81,500 and the MCG up to 100,000.

The Melbourne venue would still be favourite to host the 2015 final because of the unpopular drop-in pitch used at ANZ Stadium, but the revelation the Sydney ground could make a play for the biggest ODI match in cricket will no doubt raise eyebrows south of the border.

Source & More: www.smh.com.au

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