Following a worrying threat from England’s cricket hierarchy, Aussie great Shane Warne has proposed a scenario that could save the Ashes.
Aussie cricket great Shane Warne has suggested Cricket Australia could revamp the Ashes schedule to alleviate the threat of border restrictions and Covid-19 protocols.
The fate of the highly-anticipated series hangs in the balance after several England players voiced concerns about travelling to Australia and dealing with the country’s strict quarantine regulations — especially if their families are not allowed to join them.
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Cricket Australia is undergoing frantic negotiations with the Federal Government and the ECB to determine how the five-Test series can proceed.
On Monday, the ECB released a statement that refused to guarantee the Ashes would go ahead and indicated some of the team’s senior players were still unwilling to abide by the country’s Covid-19 protocols.
“Later this week the ECB Board will meet to decide whether the conditions in place are sufficient for the Tour to go ahead and enable the selection of a squad befitting a series of this significance,” the statement read.
According to The Australian, the five-Test series is estimated to be worth AUD$200 million to Australian cricket.
Speaking on Channel 9’s Today, Warne suggested the Federal Government could be prepared to grant the England players special treatment for their two-week quarantine.
According to The Age, CA has proposed that England’s squad complete a 14-day quarantine in a Gold Coast resort hotel in November, during which they would be allowed to train and walk the grounds after an initial few days of confinement to rooms.
Although the Australian government plans to soften quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated citizens in November, overseas travellers will not receive the same luxuries until a later date.
“The hardest thing for the England players, if they have to quarantine in Australia, that‘s fine the first 14 days with their families, Cricket Australia and the government will give them some sort of resort, where they have swimming pools, golf facilities,” Warne said on Tuesday morning.
“They‘re not just stuck in a 4×3 metre room where they have no windows, that I had to do and a lot of other people have had to do, which is just inhumane.”
Even if England does agree to tour, CA still faces the challenge of ensuring the series is played as scheduled.
Last week, a Sheffield Shield match between Queensland and Tasmania was postponed after the Tigers frantically flew home due to murmurs of a snap lockdown in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, it was recently revealed the New South Wales and Victorian squads won’t play the other four state teams before Christmas after they were denied entry to South Australia.
“It’s hard to make a decision because the states keep changing their rules,” Warne explained.
“The first Test is in Brisbane, and then they have to travel to Adelaide or Perth after that, it‘s very hard with the regulations, to say they’ll have to do another 14 days quarantine, and then Perth won’t let you in.
“It‘s very hard for the England players to make a decision while it’s changing all the time in each state.
“It‘s fantastic to have a Test match in every state, but if the WA and Queensland premiers don’t want to let people in, and everyone has to do 14 days quarantine, then they won’t have a Test match.
“They just had an AFL grand final in Perth, I don‘t know what the difference is.”
Warne said it could be in CA’s best interest to schedule the entire five-Test series in the eastern states to avoid border restrictions.
Perth stands as the most likely venue to miss out on an Ashes Test due to Western Australia’s hard-line stance on visitors.
Optus Stadium is slated to host the fifth Test just five days after the Sydney fixture, which would be impossible under current measures.
“Everyone wants the Ashes to go ahead, I think there‘ll be some sort of Ashes,” Warne said.
“Maybe a couple of Test matches in Sydney, a couple in Melbourne and maybe one somewhere else, maybe Tasmania, whatever states will allow them in after they‘ve done the original 14 days quarantine.”
Meanwhile, Former Australian Test captain Allan Border rubbished suggestions England would pull out of the Ashes due to an understaffed touring squad.
“I wouldn’t be comfortable if England say they can’t come because they’re worried about all their senior players pulling out,” Border told News Corp.
“Just because we were under strength that’s not an excuse.
“England needs to pick 17 guys who are willing to come and represent England. Whether they win, lose or draw, the cricket goes ahead.”
CA said in a statement: “We have had regular and positive discussions with the ECB over the past six months on providing conditions which will allow players from both teams to perform at their best during the Ashes summer.
“The health and wellbeing of both squads while ensuring the tour proceeds in a safe manner is a priority and we especially thank our government partners for all their support in this regard. We are also buoyed by rising vaccination rates and an evolving approach to the pandemic in Australia.
“The anticipated conditions for the tour, including quarantine arrangements have now been communicated to the ECB and directly to the England players and staff.”
The first Ashes Test is scheduled to get underway in Brisbane on Wednesday, December 8.
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