Whispers that the final could be held at Adelaide Oval began to circulate after the win over Western Australia in Perth last month but nothing could happen officially until South Australia confirmed they would host the final.
The final is currently scheduled to run from March 26 to March 30. One major issue is that Adelaide Oval’s drop-in pitches have already been removed from the venue ahead of AFL club Adelaide Crows first home game on March 16. South Australia’s other AFL club, Port Adelaide, play their first home game at the venue on Saturday March 22.
If the Shield final were to be staged at Adelaide Oval, it would need to be moved forward two days to be played between Monday March 24 and Friday March 28, sandwiched between weekend football fixtures with Crows playing at home again on March 30.
It is understood that a single drop-in surface could be put in place after the AFL game on March 22 is completed. The pitch would have already been prepared elsewhere and would be ready for play on March 24 with the outfield cut to an acceptable level.
“We’re in now. I think that was part of the step,” Harris told ESPNcricinfo after the win over Victoria on Sunday. “I’ve left that up to the people above me, but it’s gaining momentum, I believe.
“I think there are a few small bridges to cross coming into this week. But I think now that the fact that it’s been confirmed that we’re in Adelaide I guess we’ll hear over the next couple of days, what goes on there.
“But I mean we want to play there. We love it there. It might be a little bit different. The outfield might be a little bit slower, but when we play early games in September, October, it’s generally quite slow anyway, so I don’t think it’s going to be a lot different.
“But ultimately if we can get out there, it’d be great. But obviously, we understand as well the agreement football have. But as far as I know, the conversations have been really positive so we’ll wait and see over the next couple of days.”
A Shield final has not been played at any of those venues since 2012 when Queensland hosted the final at the Gabba. Since then Victoria has hosted finals at Alice Springs and Hobart while New South Wales hosted a final in Canberra before Junction Oval and Cricket Central became viable grounds. Queensland host two finals at Allan Border Field in recent years.
South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas has even got involved and has already spoken to the local AFL clubs about the issue.
“This issue has been drawn to my attention, I did spend a bit of time on the weekend making a few calls,” Malinauskas told ABC radio last week. “I’m pretty optimistic that with some hard-headed reason, there’s a compromise to be had here that would allow it to be played at Adelaide Oval.
“But everyone is going to have to give a little bit. There’s a whole bunch of moving parts to this, but after the calls I’ve made, I’m pretty optimistic we’re going to get the right outcome if wiser heads prevail. I think the Crows have an appetite for pragmatism here, and that is to their great credit. The AFL’s got a role to play.”
South Australia’s final Shield game of the home and away season starts on Saturday March 15 but it was already scheduled to be played at Karen Rolton Oval.
The AFL are receptive to allowing the final to be played in between weekend football games with AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon saying that the league was open to co-operating.
“Like we do with other sports where we have a scheduling clash, we’re fortunate to play in the best stadiums in Australia across all of our capital cities and we know those stadiums get built and operate because they are multi-sport,” Dillon said at a press conference on last week. “So if it can be accommodated within our schedule, we absolutely would look at that.”
Playing the final at Adelaide Oval would shorten the turnaround from the last regular-season round from seven days to five for whichever travelling team qualifies. Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria all still a chance depending on the results of the final round.
“If that arises, that’d be awesome, because I think the last time we played in the Shield final at home was at Glenelg,” Lehmann said. “We actually got a pretty good crowd there, and it was good. But also, I love Adelaide Oval. I think it’s the best stadium in the world. You know, it just produces good wicket good cricket wicket, great stadium. so I’d love to be able to do that.”
Meanwhile, Harris confirmed that Carey will be available for both South Australia’s final Shield game of the season against Queensland and the final.
“As far as I know, he’s back next week, and for the final now,” Harris said. “That’s huge. Getting a player who’s playing pretty well at the moment. I watched his innings the other night in the Champions Trophy, I don’t think I’ve seen him bat as good as that.”
“All fine with that,” Harris said. “That’s what they want to do. I think they’re probably having a bit of FOMO now and would want to be here. But that’s alright.”
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
