In a recent development, Hobart Stadium is set to host a game with a proposed indoor stadium capable of hosting Test cricket as a part of the Tasmanian team joining the AFL in 2028.
Hobart’s New Stadium Proposed to Host Indoor Test Cricket
The 23,000-seat multipurpose venue at Macquarie Point is a key component of Tasmania and is tied to Tasmania’s entry into the Australian Football League (AFL).
The Tasmania Devils are due to become AFL’s 19th team in 2028 and part of the deal is based around there being a new stadium constructed.
“We want to get to red-ball [cricket], that’s our focus,” said Macquarie Point Development Corporation CEO Anne Beach. “The tricky thing is…we can’t be accredited until it’s built so what we need to do is keep working through the detail and design process with Cricket [Tasmania] and Cricket Australia and work with them to brief ICC to make sure they have all the information available.
“The tricky thing is…we can’t be accredited until it’s built so what we need to do is keep working through the detail and design process with Cricket [Tasmania] and Cricket Australia and work with them to brief ICC to make sure they have all the information available.
The proposal designs for the Macquarie Point stadium were released earlier this week. Ball tracking data has been used in developing the plans to ensure the roof would be higher enough for cricket.
“Cricket’s biggest concern was the height of the roof…they cited concerns with Marvel Stadium [in Melbourne] where the ball could potentially hit the roof,” said Alistair Richardson.
“What we’ve done is we’ve worked through looking at Hawk-Eye and the ball-tracking technology, to actually assess the maximum height that anyone’s hit a ball, which is quite interesting. “Then, actually, [we’ve] pushed the roof to 50 metres, which cricket was really happy with because there’s no instance of anyone hitting a ball at 50 metres.”
Experts have said that the design of the roof means there will be very little impact from shadows on the playing surface. The Marvel stadium hosted Indoo ODIs back in the early 2000s and BBL matches can be played with the roof closed, but Test cricket has never taken place at an enclosed ground.
Cricket Tasmania chair David Boon reiterated the state’s aim of playing cricket at the new stadium although it would likely lead to debate around the future of Bellerive Oval.
“There is a wonderful opportunity for Tasmania to be a leader in innovation for the future of the game,” Boon said. “We want to play cricket in this stadium and look forward to working collaboratively with all parties over the coming months as the design is finalized.”
Tasmania hosted a test two years ago its first match was played in 2016 when the final match of the Ashes 2021-22 was switched to Bellerive Oval from Perh Stadium due to restrictions in Western Australia.
It is unlikely to host another test in the remainder of the current Future Tours programme. Australia men’s will play a T20I against Pakistan in November followed by the third ODI of the Women’s Ashes in January.
