The new Perth Stadium in Australia is set to miss out on hosting an Ashes cricket Test this year after a senior government official said there was “no chance” of the venue staging the match.
The WACA Ground, which has held Ashes games since 1970, is set to step in as a replacement.
The new 60,000-seat Perth Stadium multi-use venue had been lined up to host the clash between Australia and England in December as its opening event, but a series of delays to the project has cast serious doubts as to whether the stadium would be ready in time.
Although a statement on the WACA’s website said that the venue for the third Test is yet to be confirmed, the Weekend West quoted an unnamed government source as saying that the 20,000-capacity WACA will more than likely serve as host for the match.
However, the source said that should work be completed in good time ahead of the Test in December, then organisers could still switch venues, even after the ticket sales process has been opened.
Tickets for all other Ashes Tests in the 2017 series are due to go on sale on May 8, but tickets will not be made available for the third match until a venue for the Test has been confirmed.
WACA chief executive Christina Matthews said: “What is likely is that we would sell tickets to the WACA Ground and then offer a transfer to Perth Stadium if the match is there. It would not be an upgrade in price but a transfer between grounds.”
Image: Samuel Wiki (Wikimedia)
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