Adelaide likely to be the venue for 1st Test

PTI

Adelaide, December 1
After much ado, Cricket Australia is close to pencilling down Adelaide as the venue for the first Test against India following the tragic demise of batsman Phil Hughes, whose funeral would be held in Macksville on Wednesday.

The first Test was scheduled to start on December 4 in Brisbane, which might eventually become the venue for the second match, reports Channel Nine website, the official partners of CA.

The Adelaide Test was originally scheduled to start from December 12, but now the game is likely to commence on December 9 as the opening match of the four-game series.

According to the schedule on the website, the second Test in Brisbane kick starts on December 16, followed by the Melbourne on December 26 and the final match in Sydney, starting January 6.

Such a shift would allow a second Test to be played in Brisbane before the traditional Boxing Day clash in Melbourne.

It is understood that CA does not want to abandon the Gabba Test.

A two-day tour game featuring a CA XI was cancelled last week, but India might get an opportunity to play a practice match later this week.
    
The tourists were due to fly to Brisbane on Monday, but put off their travelling plans until the venue and dates for the first Test were confirmed.

"The Indian side will remain in Adelaide until details for the first Test have been confirmed," CA tweeted.

There were reports the updated schedule would not be released until Wednesday, but a CA spokesperson confirmed it will be passed onto the public as soon as possible. — PTI