Daily Times

SYDNEY: Cricket Australia has been given the all clear for the India squad to quarantine in Sydney ahead of their blockbuster test series around the New Year, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday. The tourists had been scheduled to arrive in Brisbane and undergo quarantine there before playing six short-form internationals in Queensland and moving on to Adelaide for the first test in early December. With time running out before the arrival of the players next month, and negotiations with Queensland health officials stalling over aspects of Cricket Australia’s plans, however, the governing body started exploring other options. The Sydney Morning Herald said the New South Wales government had approved CA’s plans only 72 hours after they were lodged, clearing the way for the tourists to arrive in Sydney and play the short form matches there and in Canberra. Cricket Australia offered no comment on the report when contacted. The Indian and many of the top Australian players will be arriving from the United Arab Emirates where the Indian Premier League (IPL) concludes on Nov. 10. An agreement with the New South Wales government would allow Cricket Australia to finally confirm the international schedule for the home season, including the four tests against India in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.