For Indian Cricket fans,
the scars of that afternoon (19.12.2020) at Adelaide Oval will remain for ever
– 36 All out (technically 36/9 Shami injured hurt).. .. Away from Cricket, one must admire and appreciate the way Australian
citizens abide by rules and how laws are imposed stringently. Sadly, as you walk on the streets of Chennai,
with Marina beach too now opened to public – one would find hundreds of people
walking but not wearing mask and not keeping social distance. This is a post on India’s Cricket tour to
Australia and some more on Covid front too.
Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South
Wales, and the most populous city in Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the
metropolis surrounds Port Jackson and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) on its
periphery towards the Blue Mountains to the west. Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of
Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta
Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney. It is
the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The location
of the first European settlement and colony on the Australian mainland, Port
Jackson has continued to play a key role in the history and development of
Sydney. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an Australian heritage-listed steel
through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular,
bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district
(CBD) and the North Shore. The view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby
Sydney Opera House is widely regarded as an iconic image of Sydney, and of Australia
itself. The bridge is nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its
arch-based design.
Australia's
most populous state has announced new restrictions for the Greater Sydney area
in an attempt to contain a growing outbreak of Covid-19. Household gatherings
will be capped at 10 people and hospitality venues at 300 until Wednesday.
Residents had already been told to stay at home. The cases were found in the
city's Northern Beaches area, which entered a five-day lockdown on Saturday. Since
then Sydney residents have rushed to leave the city ahead of Christmas. Thousands
have travelled from the city in New South Wales (NSW) to the neighbouring state
of Victoria. In response, Victoria will close its borders to residents of
Greater Sydney and the NSW Central Coast from midnight. People will then face a
14-day quarantine. South Australia state also said all arrivals from the
Greater Sydney area would have to quarantine for 14 days from midnight. People
who have been in the Northern Beaches area will be barred from the state
entirely.
The outbreak has
also forced organisers of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race to cancel the event
for the first time in its history. Sydney's Northern Beaches outbreak grew to 68
cases on Sunday, with 30 new cases recorded in the previous 24 hours. The new
cluster emerged just days before the Christmas period, prompting concern that
travel restrictions may impact festive plans. More than 250,000 residents have
been banned from leaving their homes except for work, exercise, essential shopping
and compassionate reasons until Wednesday. Those living in other parts of
Sydney have been told to avoid the area. The NSW government has urged all
locals to wear masks in public areas like supermarkets and churches and to be
on "high alert". The next five days has been described as a
"tipping point" by epidemiologist Mary-Louise McLaws. "We can
only hope that it remains focused in the Northern Beaches, but if it goes
across all of Australian than we will need more tightening."
The number
of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New South Wales climbed to 71 this weekend,
prompting Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews the shut the border to New South
Wales from midnight on Sunday. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian also
announced new lockdown restrictions for Greater Sydney as the northern beaches
cluster continues to spread. Whilst
reading this cannot help recalling what happened in our street in Apr-May 2020,
our street (Venkatrangam Pillai Street, in Triplicane – to be precise one small
cluster had more than 90 covid identified persons, all of them turned normal
after quarantined)
The third
Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is scheduled to commence on January 7th.
Despite suggestions the five-day fixture should be played at the MCG or
Canberra’s Manuka Oval, CA interim chief executive Nick Hockley confirmed the
SCG remains the preferred venue. Cricket
Australia is reportedly considering contingency plans should the New Year’s
Test in Sydney need to be delayed or cancelled altogether, but has not rushed
into making any changes just yet and is hopeful the schedule will remain
untouched. These are because of the fresh
COVID-19 outbreak in the northern beaches that has put NSW on high alert. CA is hopeful it will still be able to stage
the third Test between Australia and India, scheduled to begin on January 7, in
Sydney, but is preparing for the fact that may not be possible.
As reported by The Daily
Telegraph, if the virus situation worsens, the governing body may need to scrap
the Test and return for a second match in Adelaide or hold two Tests in
Melbourne or Brisbane. As the schedule
stands, the fourth Test in Brisbane is slated to begin on January 15, but that
could be brought forward to give Sydney extra time to get the coronavirus
situation under control and allow for the SCG to host what would then be the
fourth Test of the series. CA interim
CEO Nick Hockley said no changes had yet been made to the schedule. Queensland
looms as a potential option, although Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has already
rejected the Indian cricket team. The state earlier relinquished the right to
host white ball fixtures between Australia and India after it was not satisfied
with the biosecurity protocols around the Indian team.
It was only recently the
SCG hosted more than 30,000 fans for the third T20 match between Australia and
India. Famous former Australian paceman Brett Lee was forced to leave the Adelaide Test to head home
after Sydney's Northern Beaches COVID-19 outbreak. Lee is a resident of the
Northern Beaches and is one of a number of staff members from both broadcasters
Fox Sports and Channel 7 who have been sent home after the cluster. According
to the Daily Telegraph, Lee has no symptoms of the virus and has not been to
any of the notified hot spots. Another Australian
cricket legend - who has a grandstand at the ground named after him - was
fulfilling his commentary duties for the ABC on day two of the first Test
against India. But as a Sydney Northern Beaches resident, the South Australian
government came knocking as the COVID-19 cluster toll continued to mount. Amidst dramatic scenes Ian Chappell, 77, was
asked to leave his beloved ground and isolate before undertaking a COVID test
.. .. .. and
that is Australia, the Govt is tough, citizens cooperate without murmur.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
20.12.2020
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