SUCCESS? PAR? FAILURE? EMPTY SEATS DO NOT TELL THE FULL STORY
On the eve of the final day of the Perth Test, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood noted the Aussies had not spotted a cloud during the week they had been in Western Australia.
The sky was blue. The sunshine was blazing and local star Mitch Marsh was flogging fours to all parts of Perth Stadium. It was perfect conditions to play and watch cricket.
This begged the question on every morning of the Test. To borrow from an old advertising campaign featuring the ex-partner of a former Australian captain; âWhere the bloody hell are ya?â
Or, more to the point, where were the local fans who had been called on in the lead-in to the match to save Test cricket in Perth by outgoing WACA chief executive Christina Matthews?
The optics of row upon row of empty seats looked poor at times through the four days. This was particularly the case in the areas where there was no shade, for the sun did have significant sting.
But some context and nuance is necessary when considering whether the crowd for this Test was at par, a success or a raging embarrassment.
Just under 50,000 fans attended the opening three days of the Test, which was a record attendance for a Perth Test featuring Pakistan.
Another 9,244 fans filed in for the final rites on Sunday.
Had the match been held at the historic WACA Ground, which had a capacity of â18,000 at bestâ according to Matthews, the atmosphere would have been superb.
Perth to host first Test of the Summer | 02:33
The decision to move from the WACA Ground, which is now being renovated, to Perth Stadium midway through last decade was controversial at the time and resentment lingers.
Fox Cricket broadcaster Brendon Julian, a proud Western Australian who represented his nation at the WACA Ground, said last week he wished Tests were still hosted there.
âPersonally, yes, I think it is such a shame that Test cricket moved from the WACA. Everyone knows and loves the WACA around the world,â he told foxsports.com.au.
âPerth Stadium is a great stadium, there is no doubt about that. It is great for football. But from a cricket point of view? I would rather it at the WACA.
âIt is one of those things where it would be like moving cricket from Adelaide Oval, or from the MCG, or from the SCG. You just donât want to see that. It is a bit of a shame.â
Matthews, who said the WACA was about $2 million better off per Test for playing at Perth Stadium, said she found the debate about the venue âinterestingâ.
âIf we donât provide the players with the best facilities, they wonât want to come here, and eventually we will be usurped by other states. That is number one,â she told ABC Grandstand.
âSecondly, no matter what we do with the WACA Ground, it is a certain size and it can only fit so many spectators in and every Test we have played here has exceeded any historical numbers at the WACA Ground. It shows more people want to come here.
âIt fascinates me. It is part of (the issue) that people in sport donât want change. We get so romantically attached to things that we canât see the wood for the trees.â
Australian captain Pat Cummins knows there is a debate as to which city should host the opening Test of each summer series but said he did not âhave a strong opinion on thatâ.
âI think the last few years ⌠they are all quite Australian wickets with fast, bouncy wickets with sideways movement. Iâm not too fussed, to be honest,â he said.
Nonetheless, there is agreement that more needs to be done to fill those empty stands in summers to come.
Mitchell Starc of Australia signs autographs and poses with fans. Photo by Paul Kane/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Certainty around dates will help, with officials hoping to know when Perth will be hosting India and England by the end of this season in order to assist with planning purposes.
The local cricket associations still play on Saturday during the Perth Test, which clearly has an impact on attendances. And while the stands were empty in the morning, they started to fill once the âFremantle Doctorâ kicked in early in the afternoon.
Matthews, whose 12 year reign will finish at the end of the summer, believes the West Test would benefit from a broader theme as well.
Having worked on the introduction of the Pink Ball Test at the SCG for the Jane McGrath Foundation, she said honouring Australiaâs Indigenous cricket culture is a concept worth considering for the West Test.
It has been raised with Cricket Australia and the WA Government.
âOne of our members, during our recent elections, proposed that we could make this Test a celebration of Aboriginal culture,â she said.
âAboriginal culture is very front and centre in WA. This ground is designed along a cultural narrative line, so why not make this the unique thing about this Test?
âWe in WA have a very strong Aboriginal cricket history. We are doing great work with Aboriginal communities now. Why not educate people about that and use this Test match to do it?
âI think it is something Western Australians would really buy into and it would be the cricket version of âDreamtime at the âGâ.â
