The decision was confirmed today by Cricket Australia after an inspection of Traeger Park found there were still concerns about the standard of the outfield at the venue, nearly three weeks after two WBBL games had to be moved to nearby Albrecht Oval.

Cricket Australia and Australian Cricketers’ Association officials assessed the ground before making the decision, in accordance with BBL Playing Conditions, with safety the central assessment criteria.

Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations Peter Roach said: “It’s disappointing that the match can’t be played at Traeger Park given the importance of cricket being able to take this fixture outside of its traditional venues.



“We have been working closely with Alice Springs Town Council over several weeks to try to improve the condition of the playing field, however the outfield falls short of the standard required for this match and would represent an unacceptable risk to player safety.



“Despite remediation work undertaken in recent weeks, multiple sections of the outfield remain in a sandy condition and the loose footing presents a risk to the welfare of players. Unfortunately, there is very little prospect that this can be rectified by 9 February.”



Adelaide Strikers General Manager Bronwyn Klei said:

“It’s really frustrating for all of us involved in organising the game but most of all it’s really disappointing for the cricket fans of Alice Springs and the Northern Territory, who unfortunately will miss out on seeing the Big Bash game this year.”

For patrons who purchased their ticket via the Ticketek website, Call Centre or mail order, refunds will be processed automatically to the credit card on which the ticket was bought. For patrons who purchased their ticket from a Ticketek outlet and wish to apply for a refund, tickets must be mailed along with contact details to Cricket Refunds PO Box 596, Hindmarsh, SA 5007.



For tickets purchased at Intersport Alice Springs, customers will need to return the tickets to this point of sale. Traeger Park tickets will not be valid at Adelaide Oval.