Cricket Australia (CA) is set to gradually shift the ongoing Big Bash League 2021-22 (BBL 11) to Melbourne to avoid any further interruptions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, January 6, CA CEO Nick Hockley said that the Australia board is planning to relocate all eight teams inside a bio-bubble in Melbourne to make it easier for the organizers to reschedule the BBL 11 matches in the event of postponement of the upcoming games due to any further COVID positive cases.

The ongoing BBL 2021-22 has witnessed a COVID outbreak with numerous positive cases being reported across eight franchises, forcing postponement and last-minute rescheduling of a number of matches.

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Hockley told SEN Radio: “What we're dealing with is unprecedented. We'll be gradually centralizing (the teams) into Melbourne. What that enables us (Cricket Australia) to do is if a team is significantly impacted, it gives us much more flexibility to be able to swap teams in and complete the fixture.”

Meanwhile, BBL franchisees Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat were the most affected teams by the COVID-19 outbreak and CA Chief said: “Those two particular clubs (Stars and Heat) have been heavily impacted. We've faced some different timing challenges with test results coming back.”

Hockley signed off by saying, “It's not ideal. Obviously, we want everyone to have their full-strength team available. We've got a really clear plan now for the final run-in of the competition. We are very confident that we'll be able to complete the competition.”

(With PTI Inputs)