Australia-New Zealand Cricket to be Played Behind Closed Doors
Australia-New Zealand Cricket to be Played Behind Closed Doors
(Bloomberg) -- A three-match cricket series between Australia and New Zealand starting Friday will be played behind closed doors, as the spreading coronavirus plays havoc with global sporting events.
The first two games of the one-day international series will be played at the 48,000-seat Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday and Sunday, before concluding March 20 at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena.
A decision will be made “in due course” whether to go ahead with a three-match T20 series between the two nations scheduled to start March 24 in New Zealand, Cricket Australia said in a statement Friday.
Separately, the Australian women’s cricket team tour of South Africa has been suspended.
Meantime, confusion surrounds the Formula-1 Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, after the McLaren team withdrew after a member tested positive for coronavirus.
In the U.S., the National Basketball Association and Major League Hockey have suspended their seasons, Major League Baseball has delayed opening day and the NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament has been scrapped.
In Europe, next week’s Champions League soccer games between Manchester City and Real Madrid, and Juventus and Lyon have been postponed. Juventus player Daniele Rugan has tested positive for the virus.
To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Vercoe in Sydney at pvercoe@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Katrina Nicholas at knicholas2@bloomberg.net, Garfield Reynolds
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