TASMANIA has officially launched its bid to host a world-first, international day-night cricket Test later this year.
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Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket are now just a month away from announcing whether an inaugural trans-Tasman bout under lights will take place in November.
Hobart, Adelaide and Brisbane are all vying to host the historic day-night match.
The rival national cricketing bodies met in Auckland over the weekend to discuss the concept after 12 months of talks, but the outcome of their meeting is still unclear.
Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison, who is also a director of Cricket Australia, said the national board would make a final decision when the Test program was announced in April.
‘‘It still requires the approval of New Zealand cricket, they haven’t given the final stamp on this,’’ he said.
But Harrison was confident Tasmania would reign supreme if the concept was given the green light.
He pointed out Adelaide and Brisbane hosted international Tests on every annual cricket calendar, while Hobart did not enjoy the luxury and had not hosted a Test match since December 2012.
‘‘I think Hobart and Blundstone Arena deserve to have the first day-night Test match,’’ he said.
‘‘This will focus world attention on Hobart and Tasmania.
‘‘We will welcome the teams, we will welcome the visitors, and we will do it better than anyone else.’’
Premier Will Hodgman said Tasmania had a rich cricketing history and had runs on the board to successfully host such a sporting event.
He met Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards and deputy chairman David Peever in December to plug the state’s credentials, and said the opening of the Ricky Ponting Stand had confirmed Bellerive as one of the world’s best boutique stadiums.
‘‘It has already proven to be a wonderful place to watch Big Bash League cricket and the three upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup games will ensure Tasmania is again in the international cricketing spotlight,’’ Mr Hodgman said.