A legal stoush looms between the WACA and Cricket Australia if the sport’s governing body overrules its own regulations by granting Victoria permission to host the Sheffield Shield final in Hobart.
Victoria won the right to host the Shield final after finishing on top of WA in the final standings.
But with the MCG unavailable and Junction Oval being redeveloped, Victoria have nominated Bellerive Oval as their ‘home’ ground for the decider, starting Saturday.
CA are expected to approve that request, but Western Australia believe the final should be hosted at the WACA Ground instead.
Under Shield playing conditions, the team that finished first on the points table earns the right to host the final at a suitable first-class venue within its own State.
Should the team waive this right, then the team who finished second can host the final.
Given Bellerive Oval doesn’t fall within the State of Victoria, WA believes the Bushrangers should waive their hosting rights.
But CA claims its guidelines are not legally binding, and thus they have the right to overrule it.
Western Australia are exploring their legal options over the matter.
“We don’t want to upset the game,” WACA chief executive Christina Matthews said.
“I’ve been involved directly or indirectly with all sorts of legal stoushes around where games are to be played, and it never helps the team who is doing the arguing.
“But if someone comes and tells you they’ve got playing conditions and they’re not legally binding, I think we’re obliged to determine whether they are or not.”
Matthews said the WACA had no qualms about NSW hosting last year’s Shield final at Manuka Oval due to the unavailability of the SCG.
“Canberra has been a home ground for NSW over the last five or six years, so when the SCG wasn’t available, that was a logical choice for them,” Matthews said.
“And it is geographically within the bounds of NSW.
“But Bellerive hasn’t been used for a Victorian home match all year, and it’s over the side of the water as well. So we don’t think it’s a fair comparison.”
The WACA is facing a logistical nightmare if the Shield final is played in Hobart.
“When we inquired about accommodation, there wasn’t any at the accommodation we normally stay at,” Matthew said.
“And we weren’t able to get our preferred flights without splitting our group up.
“So there’s a whole lot of things around getting to Tasmania.
“It’s much more difficult than getting to Victoria, particularly in a tight turnaround after a very long, heavy year.”
WA tuned up for the decider with a comprehensive batting performance against NSW at the WACA Ground.
Warriors opener Cameron Bancroft scored a double century as WA moved to 2-473 midway through the final day in reply to NSW’s 407.
Michael Klinger was dismissed for 161 early on Monday, but NSW’s bowlers struggled to make many inroads after that.
