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Big Bash League 2014-15: Manuka Oval, Canberra to host final

This is the first time the BBL final won't be held at Perth.

Perth Scorchers © Getty Images
Perth Scorchers are the reigning champions of the BBL © Getty Images

Jul 30, 2014

Cricket Australia (CA) has announced that the Manuka Oval, Canberra will host the final of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2014-15. CA made the announcement on Wednesday and picked the capital of Australia to host the finale of its premier T20 tournament. The Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) ground hosted the finals of the first three editions and this now moves to Canberra with Perth Scorchers being the defending champions.

The Herald Sun quoted Christina Mathews, the CEO of Perth Scorchers, “Whilst we are disappointed to have not been given the rights to host the final, we are comfortable that, given CA’s desire to hold the final in a neutral venue, they have chosen a truly neutral venue and not another team’s ground. With The Furnace (WACA) having hosted the last three finals, it was maybe the only way for CA to have the match played on the other side of the country and it is a credit to WA cricket that they weren’t willing to take the risk for the fourth year in a row.”

Manuka Oval hasn’t been one of the frontline venues in Australia, though it has hosted a few internationals. So far, it has hosted three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), the first of which came during the 1992 World Cup when South Africa and Zimbabwe faced off. The second match came 16 years later when India and Sri Lanka faced off during a tri-series. The last ODI played at the venue was in 2013 when Australia played the West Indies.

Canberra has often hosted the Prime Minister’s XI matches against the visiting sides. The ground is slated to host an ODI between Australia and South Africa later this year. It has also been allotted a few matches in the 2015 World Cup. Though a small venue at one time, it has now seen a revamp, with floodlights also coming into the picture.

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