Cricket Australia has been forced to make schedule changes to the Big Bash League schedule after there were positive rapid antigen tests in the Brisbane Heat camp. According to the changes, Perth Scorchers will play Sydney Sixers on January 4 (Tuesday) instead of January 6. Heat have had their clash pushed and will now take on Sixers on January 5. Scorchers and Sydney Thunder, who were to meet on January 5, have had their contest pushed by a day. The Heat squad and the potential replacements are currently undergoing RT-PCR Tests. Once the results of the tests come, the decision on the potential replacements will be taken and the squad will be announced. The ones, who have returned positive antigen tests, are needed to go into isolation until they go through a PCR testing. "Firstly, our thoughts continue to be with players and staff across all Clubs, plus all in the wider community, who have been infected with COVID-19. We wish them all the best for a speedy recovery," CA's Big Bash general manager Alistair Dobson said on Tuesday (January 4). "The League and Clubs have learned to be nimble in the current environment and we are pleased that we have found a solution to help safeguard all three matches so quickly. We thank all Clubs for their cooperation and our fans for their understanding in these rapidly evolving circumstances."
Terry Svenson, the chief executive officer of Queensland Cricket, in the meantime, thanked Cricket Australia for making the arrangements on a short notice. “The health and safety of our players and coaches and support staff, and their families, is of paramount importance. By making a decisive call on tonight’s game, we can work as efficiently as possible to support those players who have returned a positive rapid antigen test and assist the replacement players coming into the squad,” Svenson was quoted as saying. “It also means that fans who are attending the matches or were intending to do, can establish their options as soon as they are able,” he stated. “We are providing all the support we can to players, staff and their families. I’d like to thank the medical and off-field teams at both Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia for their ongoing guidance and support,” Svenson added. The Heat are currently placed fifth in the points table with 14 points from eight matches. They will be going into their next game on the back of a 14-run win over the Hobart Hurricanes. The team has also won matches against Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers.
