Cricket Australia is set to make its strongest push yet towards scrapping the Gabba as a Test venue by ramping up its bid for a new Victoria Park stadium.
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That is according to a report from the Courier Mail, with Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley confirming to the publication on Wednesday that the proposal includes playing the final cricket match of the 2032 Olympics at the Gabba before making the move to the new venue.
Hockley, who is the outgoing CA chief executive, said that while the Gabba has “played a pivotal role in Queensland cricket history” it is also “clear” that the venue is “coming to the end of its useful life”.
As a result, cricket and Brisbane Lions authorities are said to have submitted their proposal to the Queensland government as part of its 100-day Olympic venue review.
Hockley said the Brisbane Olympics presented “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop a world-class stadium that delivers strong legacy benefits for Queensland, by providing cricket and football fans with the facilities that they deserve”.
“Hopefully, this latest review will provide the certainty that everyone is craving, not least the Games organisers and together with Queensland Cricket, the AFL and the Lions, we will be making a strong case for a new stadium that can accommodate cricket and Australian rules football at Victoria Park into the future,” he added.
The Gabba’s status in the Test cricket calendar already looked to be on shaky ground when it was announced earlier this year that it would not host the series opener against India, instead replaced by Perth’s Optus Stadium.
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Australia’s Test summer traditionally kicks off at the Gabba, although that has now not been the case since the 2021/22 Ashes series.
The Gabba will host its first ever day/night Ashes Test in December next year but Cricket Australia has not included it in its schedule for home Tests beyond that series.
“It would be amazing to host the Olympic cricket finals at the Gabba and then move straight into a brilliant new stadium where fans can enjoy international and domestic cricket in comfort for the next 50 years or more,” Hockley added.
“This would also avoid disruption and costs to fans and the sports from any displacement from the Gabba between now and the Games.
“The lack of clarity about elements of the Olympic and Paralympic Games infrastructure has certainly caused a level of frustration and uncertainty for sports played at the Gabba.
“Queensland is an enormously important market for cricket, so it was unfortunate we could only plan for the next two years of international cricket in Brisbane in our seven-year international schedule.”
Marnus Labuschagne said in August that it will be a “sad day” if the Gabba loses its status as a Test cricket venue.
“Every time we (Australia) don’t get to play at the Gabba it’s disappointing for us as a playing group because we love the wicket at the Gabba,” he said.
“We love playing in Brisbane, we’ve got a really good record in Brisbane, so that (no Tests at the Gabba) is really not ideal.”
