The Big Bash League "is set to trump the Perth Test," with fans "not voting with their feet" for Optus Stadium's first five-day match, according to Andrew Wu of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. While ticket sales for the second test have been lower than expected, the WACA is anticipating a sellout for the Perth Scorchers' first home match of the BBL on Boxing Day, with 33,400 tickets already sold. Cricket Australia expects a total crowd of 70,000-80,000 to attend the test at the 60,000-capacity stadium, with an "anticipated day-one turnout of about 21,000." West Australian cricket officials have said that any test with expected crowds in excess of 60,000 "would be played at Optus Stadium instead of the spiritual home at the WACA" (SMH, 12/13). In Sydney, Andrew Faulkner wrote CA and Optus Stadium "have made a bit of a mess" of what should have been "as easy as, well, selling cricket to cricket lovers." The "main criticism, or a leading knock at least, of the WACA was its lack of shade." The shade debacle "coincided with a contretemps that all began when the stadium was busy spruiking its culinary delights (such as hot dogs) on social media." These delicacies would be available at the stadium’s "first ever International Test." Of the "sundry crimes against the language contained within those four words," the "gravest sin" is placing "International" and "Test" in adjoining (sunbaked) seats (THE AUSTRALIAN, 12/13).
IN DENIAL: In Sydney, Jon Pierik reported CA "denies it has been involved in pitch doctoring" at the sport's new A$1.6B ($1.16B) venue on a day Indian captain Virat Kohli "threw down the gauntlet to Australia's fast bowlers." Eyebrows were raised when stadium curator Brett Sipthorpe said that CA had requested a "frighteningly fast and bouncy Perth pitch to unsettle an Indian side more accustomed to placid home conditions." Sipthorpe said, "They want to see this place fly. That's like an early Christmas present to me." The sport's governing body insisted it "never dictates how the pitch should play, only that it wants a variety of styles around the country" (SMH, 12/13).
