The One-Day Cup decider, which awards the Dean Jones Trophy, has been nudged back a fortnight after a diary jam left Hobart’s Ninja Stadium double-booked. The match was pencilled in for 28 February; it will now be played on 11 March, giving Cricket Australia (CA) room to stage two Australia-India ODIs in the same week.
Hobart’s ground staff already had 27 February and 1 March earmarked for the internationals. That second ODI only landed in Tasmania because Junction Oval, Melbourne, will still be waiting for its new floodlights. Slotting a domestic final into the single spare day was never realistic, so administrators kicked around alternatives before settling on a straightforward date swap.
Tasmania earned hosting rights weeks ago, stringing together five wins on the bounce to sew up top spot with two rounds to play. A one-wicket defeat to Western Australia the other day barely dented their lead; no-one can overhaul them now. “We are delighted that, despite a scheduling clash, we have been able to work closely with our partners to ensure Tasmania will host the Final at Ninja Stadium in Hobart following their dominant season and first-place finish on the table,” Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling, said.
The only unresolved question is who joins the Tigers. Just four points cover New South Wales (second) and South Australia (fifth) heading into the last regular-season fixtures on 21 February. Bonus-point permutations abound, but one win should be enough for any challenger to squeak through.
Moving the final drops it neatly between Sheffield Shield rounds nine and ten, which could suit Tasmania. They finish the first-class campaign with three straight Shield matches in Hobart, sparing them the usual late-season flight shuffle. That continuity might yet push them into the red-ball final as well, though Victoria and Queensland remain in that hunt.
From a spectator angle, fans get a clean run: ODI, rest day, ODI, and a domestic showpiece eleven days later. A slightly odd sequence, perhaps, yet workable. And in a season already stretched by broadcasting windows and ground renovations, simply keeping the final in Tasmania feels like a small win for common sense.
