We would go to Gabba regardless of quarantine: Matthew Wade

Australian batsman Matthew Wade has made it clear that the Australian team is keen on going to Brisbane for the last of the four-match series as opposed to the views expressed by the Indian management regarding staying back in Sydney and playing both the third and fourth Tests there.

“We would obviously prefer not to. A schedule has been rolled out by Cricket Australia and we and CA would like to stick to it. There was also speculation about staying in Melbourne and CA has made it clear very firmly that we would be playing as per the schedule,” Wade said in a Press Conference ahead of the teams moving to Sydney for the third Test.

“So I would expect this to go to the Gabba regardless of the fact that there might be a quarantine based hotel and we are only allowed movement from the ground to the hotel. We fully expect to go to Brisbane and play the Gabba Test,” added teh opening batsman.

Australia has been brilliant at the Gabba in Brisbane in Test and usually, the Australian summer started with the Gabba Test, but the schedule was changed due to the Day/ Night Test as well as the pandemic’s impact and the Gabba Test has been scheduled to happen at the end of the tour.

“There is no secret why we like starting the summer there and our record is good there. Indian have got a good bowling lineup and a great team. So we would obviously not take them for granted when we get there, but we would love to get there at the Gabba,” he said.

Adding that it wouldn’t be Australia’s favour to play back to back games in Sydney, Wade said, “Two games at SCG is not something that we would prefer.”

Earlier, Cricbuzz reported quoting an Indian management official that the team was not keen on traveling to Brisbane, mostly after the five players were placed in isolation.

"We aren't keen on going to Brisbane if it means being stuck in the hotel again, except for going to the ground. Instead, we don't mind being in some other city, playing both Test matches there to complete the series and returning home," the official had been quoted as saying.

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They shouldn’t come: Queensland goverment rebukes Indian team over Covid-guidelines

Queensland has sent a stern message that the Indian players will not be able to escape the hotel quarantine but won’t be locked in the rooms either. “We’ve worked with them so that they can have bubbles within that hotel,” Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said on Sunday. “They’re going to be going and playing with colleagues in the match, so they’re going to have exposure there, so it doesn’t concern me if they have exposure to one another in the hotel “But they can’t leave the hotel and they can’t go out in the general community.” The Indian team members were reluctant to travel to Brisbane for the fourth Test if more restrictions are imposed on them. "If you look at it, we were quarantining for 14 days in Dubai before landing in Sydney and doing so for another 14 days. That means we were in a hard bubble for nearly a month before coming out. What we don't want now is to quarantine again at the end of the tour," a source in the Indian team told Cricbuzz. The members of the Queensland government made it clear that the team had to obey the instructions. “If the Indians don’t want to play by the rules, don’t come,” The state’s Health Shadow Minister Ros Bates said. Queensland’s Shadow Sports Minister Tim Mander made a big statement that if the Indian team doesn’t want to go through the drill then it might not play in Brisbane. “If the Indian cricket team wants to spit the dummy and disregard quarantine guidelines in Brisbane for the fourth Test, then they shouldn’t come. The same rules must apply for everyone. Simple,” Mander said.

Indian team reluctant to travel to Brisbane

The Indian team is reluctant to travel to Brisbane for the fourth and final Test if more restrictions are imposed on the players. India has been pretty clear that there would be no restrictions in freedom of movement of the players once they are done with the initial 14-day quarantine. "If you look at it, we were quarantining for 14 days in Dubai before landing in Sydney and doing so for another 14 days. That means we were in a hard bubble for nearly a month before coming out. What we don't want now is to quarantine again at the end of the tour," a source in the Indian team told Cricbuzz."We aren't keen on going to Brisbane if it means being stuck in the hotel again, except for going to the ground. Instead we don't mind being in some other city, playing both Test matches there to complete the series and returning home," he added.The Indian team is scheduled to travel to Sydney by train on Monday (January 4) and begins the third Test on Thursday (January 7). Later, the team members along with some broadcast staff are set to travel to Queensland on a chartered flight. The team will travel to Brisbane despite the state having closed the borders to New South Wales. “We have cooperated with Cricket Australia at every step with regards to following the protocols within the bubble," the source said.The source further said that the management isn’t in favour of sending the players in another bi-bubble. “If you look at it, we are one of only two teams who have had zero issues while being on a tour during this pandemic. We are not in favour of sending the players into another hard bubble," the source said. Earlier, the members of the Indian team, Rohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and Navdeep Saini came under scanner after an alleged bio-bubble breach. The matter was investigated by the BCCI who eventually rubbished off the reports. The players though were kept in isolation as a precautionary measure.

Wishes pour in for Sourav Ganguly

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly is stable after undergoing an angioplasty. Ganguly had been admitted to a hospital in Kolkata after complaining chest pain. Wishes have poured in for the former skipper as he recovers from his surgery.

BBL10 | Heat vs Strikers: Gregory, Wildmeruth hold nerve as Heat clinch thriller

It turned out to be a nail-biting contest between the Sydney Sixers and the Brisbane Heat but in the end, it was the Heat who held their nerves and registered a 4-wicket victory with 7 deliveries to spare. The target which seemed tricky at the start of the run chase turned out to be a rather convincing victory for the Heat courtesy a brilliant match-winning unbeaten partnership of 50 runs in the final phase of the innings. While Lewis Gregory was unbeaten on 31 of 16 deliveries, Jack Wildermuth chipped in with a knock of 22 of just 10 deliveries. Meanwhile batting first, Sydney Sixers posted a competitive 165 on the board in their allotted 20 overs on the back of fine knocks from Joshua Philippe and Jordan Silk. Despite the loss, the Sixers will gain some heart from the fact they won the Bash Boost Point. The target of 166 could have been a stiff one for the Brisbane Heat. They needed a good start but the torrid run of Joe Burns continued as he was dismissed in the third over by Jackson Bird. It was Max Bryant who steadied the ship with Joe Denly with a brief little partnership but it did shift the momentum. Bryant looked in great touch during his knock of 40 of 23 deliveries but his wicket again tilted the scales in favour of the Sydney Sixers. Despite some wickets in the middle, it was Wildermuth and Lewis Gregory who again shifted the momentum in their favour and eventually chased the target down with 7 deliveries left. For his exceptional knock Some useful knocks came from the blades of Sam Heazlett, Jimmy Pierson and Lewis Gregory as the Brisbane Heat kept the required run rate in check and found the boundaries whenever they needed the most. In the end, it was a quick partnership between Gregory and Jack Wildermuth which tilted the scales in favour of the Heat. Earlier in the day, it was Sydney Sixers skipper Daniel Hughes who won the toss and opted to bat. The Sixers went off to a steady start courtesy their opening batters, Joshua Philippe and Jack Edwards. Yet again it was Mujeeb ur Rahman who spun a web around the opposition batters and bagged the wicket of Edwards in his very first delivery. From there on, it was Philippe and James Vince who forged a brief stand of 39 runs but it came in very quick time which turned the momentum in their favour. Philippe struck some exceptional shots en route to his knock of 48 of 36 deliveries which were studded with a couple of fours and sixes each. Wickets fell in a cluster in the middle overs as Mark Steketee was the wrecker in chief who put the Sixers on the backfoot. Jordan Silk looked in ominous touch and struck 5 crisp boundaries during his knock of 43 of 27 deliveries. Despite some wickets falling in a cluster towards the fag end of the innings, Dwarshuis struck a couple of lusty blows which and eventually helped them reach a more than competitive score of 165 on the board. Mark Steketee was the pick of the bowlers for the Brisbane Heat as he finished with figures of 4/33 while Mujeeb chipped in with a couple.