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Due to venue availability during the Test summer,
Adelaide Strikers will have to travel to Canberra for a Big Bash League finals
match if they win the right to host the game.
During the BBL finals week, there is a possibility
that Australia’s home Test series against the West Indies would conflict. Test
matches are slated to take place at Adelaide Oval and the Gabba in Brisbane.
If the Strikers finished first or third, they would
not be allowed to host a finals match in Adelaide and would have to play their
qualification or knockout at Manuka Oval.
Strikers have a good chance of finishing in third
place on the BBL ladder, where they are presently ranked fourth. On January 22,
Adelaide Oval would be open to the challenger and final on January 24, if the
Strikers qualify.
The other team affected is the Heat, who currently
hold the top spot. Heat would still be allowed to use the 27,000-seat Heritage
Bank Stadium (Carrara Oval) on the Gold Coast for its home finals matches,
which would take place in southeast Queensland.
Any postseason games that the Heat win the right to
host, such as the competition’s championship on January 24 while the Gabba Test
gets underway the next day, would be played at Carrara.
The BBL reverted to a top-four finals series this
summer, with first and second place playing off for a right to host the final
and third and fourth featuring in a sudden-death match.
Meanwhile, Australian Cricketers Association boss Todd
Greenberg has said he would be open to BBL matches being playing on Christmas
Day.