Last Updated on 12 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
Australia’s first Test in Darwin since 2004 has sparked interest from cricket lovers around the country, according to CA CEO Todd Greenberg.
Ticket sales for the match against Bangladesh have been strong, and not just among the locals. Fans around Australia have travelled to the Northern Territory to catch Australia’s first men’s Test since January.
Interest strong for Test cricket in Darwin – Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg
“Playing cricket in northern Australia at this time of year is a distcinct advantage for the sport,” Greenberg said, as quoted by ABC Sport.
“We’ve sold 15,000 tickets over the coming days; almost half of those are interstate.”
The reaction to the series is a welcome change for fans in the Top End, as well as Bangladesh. In 2018, Australia cancelled a winter series against the Tigers due to financial reasons, with broadcasters reportedly uninterested due to clashes with the major football codes.
“To be honest it hasn’t been a great success, playing in the past as we have in northern Australia,” said then-CEO James Sutherland, as quoted by Cricinfo.
“Even more so now with the rise of the profile of the football codes, particularly NRL and AFL, it just means we get swamped and it doesn’t make sense. Besides the huge cost to play up there and getting broadcasters and what have you to pick it up, just makes it difficult.”
Both Channel 7 and Fox Cricket are broadcasting the 2026 Bangladesh series. SEN Cricket and Triple M are also covering the matches on radio.
Bangladesh have made a strong start to their first tour of Australia since 2003. At the time of writing, Australia are 176/7 in the 47th over on a Darwin surface offering seam movement.
