SOUTH Australian cricket wants its annual December 31 Big Bash League blockbuster to become Adelaide’s iconic New Year’s Eve party.

And after Wednesday night’s Strikers v Hurricanes clash threatened the national record for a domestic cricket crowd, SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw has issued a firm “forget it” to any rival states hoping to poach the boom fixture.

LUDEMAN GUIDES STRIKERS TO NYE WIN

SA cricket and its fans remain angered at the loss of this month’s traditional Australia Day one-dayer to Sydney under a condensed schedule ahead of the 2015 World Cup.

But Bradshaw said while Adelaide’s New Year’s Eve success since last summer would have other states drooling, the Strikers’ ability to draw the biggest crowds in the Twenty20 competition should make the fixture untouchable.

“I’m sure there would be other chief executives around the country who would look at that New Year’s Eve game now and see what we’ve been able to make of it,” Bradshaw said.

“Having said that, we’ve managed to jump ahead. We’ve invested very heavily in it and I don’t think, at the moment, that any other state could replicate what we’ve achieved, quite honestly.

“I can’t see Cricket Australia wanting to allocate that match anywhere else — but I’m sure other states would be looking at it and thinking they wouldn’t mind a similar event for themselves.”

Wednesday night’s turnout fell just 3000 fans short of the Australian record for a domestic cricket game.

The 43,288 crowd that sold out general admission allocations was an all-time record for any domestic contest at Adelaide Oval.

It was 16,000 stronger than any of the five days of this summer’s opening Test against India and more than doubled the 21,415 who attended an Australia v South Africa Twenty20 International at the MCG last month.

It prompted Melbourne Stars international and Channel 10 commentator Kevin Pietersen to tweet yesterday: “Seriously — 43,000 spectators for the @BigBashLeague last night in Adelaide. Just unreal! Wow! Well done Cricket Australia!”

Sydney broke an 80-year record to notch its biggest domestic cricket crowd on Saturday night — but it took an all-NSW showdown between the Sixers and the Thunder to post a 32,823 gate.

Adelaide had already recorded the biggest Game 1 crowd in the BBL’s four-season history on December 18.

“The SA public are just so passionate about this sport and about Adelaide Oval. They just keep voting with their feet and coming along,” Bradshaw said.

“What we want is for this game to be a cultural, iconic New Year’s Eve event. What do you do on December 31? You go to Adelaide Oval and watch the Strikers play.

“We started that last year with a view to try to make it our own so that it comes to Adelaide every year. We’d like to build an event around New Year’s Eve as well as Australia Day.”

Bradshaw said seating lost to sightscreens and an entertainment stage on the eastern side limited Adelaide Oval’s BBL capacity to about 47,000.

He said SACA was already investigating ways to open up more seating for next year’s New Year’s Eve game, possibly by moving the stage.

The association was planning for crowds pushing 40,000 at its closing two home games against Perth on January 6 and Sydney Thunder on January 12.

ADELAIDE OVAL — RECENT ATTENDANCES

43,288 December 31 Cricket BBL Strikers v Hurricanes

27,425 December 18 Cricket BBL Strikers v Stars

24,836 December 13 Cricket 1st Test Australia v India (day 5)

27,639 December 12 Cricket 1st Test Australia v India (day 4)

19,518 December 11 Cricket 1st Test Australia v India (day 3)

15,397 December 10 Cricket 1st Test Australia v India (day 2)

25,619 December 9 Cricket 1st Test Australia v India (day 1)

26,370 December 5 Cricket T20I Australia v South Africa

31,124 October 17 Soccer A-League Adelaide v Melbourne Victory

Adelaide Oval crowd record

62,543 1965 SANFL grand final, Port Adelaide v Sturt

Record cricket crowd at Adelaide Oval

50,962 Day two of 1932/33 Bodyline series, Australia v England

Record domestic cricket crowd at Adelaide Oval

43,288 — December 31 2014, BBL, Strikers v Hurricanes

Record Big Bash League and Australian domestic cricket crowd (any ground)

46,581 Stars v Renegades, January 6, 2013

Biggest 2014 AFL crowd at Adelaide Oval

52,505 Port Adelaide v Carlton, Round 22