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A fan wearing a gas mask has waited outside the SCG's locked gates and cameramen have clapped in a bid to create atmosphere during Australia's first sporting event held behind closed doors due to coronavirus.
Key points:
- Cricket Australia banned spectators for the ODI series between New Zealand and Australia
- Australia won the toss and chose to bat first at the SCG
- David Warner and Aaron Finch made 124 for the opening wicket before Warner was caught off Lachie Ferguson
With Cricket Australia acting early and barring fans from the ODI series against New Zealand due to the coronavirus pandemic, Friday's match at the SCG looms as the new norm.
Both captains still exchanged hand shakes at the toss, but interviews were done via the spidercam to ensure a 2-metre buffer zone.
Australia were without quarantined quick Kane Richardson who was suffering a "mild sore throat", but even though officials were confident it was a minor infection, his health status still clouded the match.
On the field, players at least tried to carry on as if it was business as usual after being told of the new measures late on Thursday night.
With reserves sitting in the Members Pavilion watching on, the Black Caps still shined the ball with sweat, as usual.
But the reality was that all was not normal.
When Aaron Finch struck the game's first six, there was no roaring cheer. Just silence and some words of encouragement to bowler Jimmy Neesham.
And when New Zealand had their first appeal — a top-edge from David Warner that should have been upheld — no review clock appeared on a big screen devoid of replays.
Crowds will be banned from the next two games in the series in Sydney and Hobart, and doubt also remains over a tour of New Zealand later this month given the Government's non-essential travel warning.
Australia's women's tour of South Africa for next week has also been suspended, making it the first major cricket series affected.
"We have taken strong action today in the face of an unprecedented public health issue," CA boss Keith Roberts said.
"We believe this is the right decision to minimise the risk of public exposure to the coronavirus.
"We understand that these changes to our schedule will impact many, but we hope our community will understand that the public health and safety issues … must take priority."
Roberts said cancelling the ODIs would have been "excessive", but there had been "apprehension" among players at the prospect of playing in front of large crowds.
That came especially after a spectator at last week's Women's T20 World Cup final was diagnosed with coronavirus.
He defended the call to play that final in front of 86,174 fans, but said it was a "learning experience".
Moving further forward, the Indian Premier League is also in serious doubt, but Roberts said CA had not yet made any decisions regarding players' availability.
"We've all experienced in our work and general lives the last week a rapidly changing situation," he said.
"What that tells us is it would be premature to make decisions now based on what's happening in the coming months.
"We're being well briefed by experts and we'll keep making decisions in advance of each milestone."
AAP
Topics: infectious-diseases-other, respiratory-diseases, onedayseries, sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000