Australia's men's T20 World Cup title defence will take place on home soil next year with the International Cricket Council last week confirming details of the tournament.
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Adelaide Oval, the Gabba, Kardinia Park in Geelong, Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Perth Stadium, the MCG and the SCG will all share in the 45 games.
The tournament, which was originally to be staged in Australia in 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic, will start on October 16, 2022.
The semi-finals will be played on November 9 and 10 at the SCG and Adelaide Oval before the final at the MCG on Sunday November 13.
But forget about that for a second because I've got one thing to say to event organisers; bring some World Cup warm-up games to Orange.
Wade Park is in my opinion not only the best cricket ground in the city, but the best pitch in the Central West.
It has hosted Sheffield shield matches, an International T20 match between Hong Kong and Sydney Thunder, competitive A-League matches featuring the Central Coast Mariners FC in 2006 and then again in 2007. But if it sounded like I got that information straight from Wikipedia, then you would be correct. And therein lies the problem in that memorable games have to be looked up and are often years and years ago.
So what has stopped the top tier teams from coming out here on a consistent basis?
Well, turf practice nets are a requirement for hosting cricket's elite competitions like the Sheffield Shield. But back in 2019, that problem was solved as the $130,000 addition was completed.
At the opening of the nets, sport and recreation committee chair for Orange City Council, Jason Hamling, said: "Turf training nets are crucial when it comes to simulating normal pitch conditions (and) develop both the batting and bowling skills of players.
"These nets will help affirm Wade Park as the premier cricket facility in the region and the regional hub for cricket player development."
Two years on and that has mostly happened.
Wade Park is the host of as many Royal Hotel Cup games as possible and every player I've spoken to, be they batter or bowler, loves the pitch.
But some turf nets are just a microcosm of why Orange should get to play host to at least one World Cup warm up game and ideally three or four.
The city's $3.4 million Carl Sharpe Cricket Centre is a work of art and would satisfy the needs of any international player looking for a hit.
Then you've got the grandstand which saw $100,000 worth of new flip-up seating installed last year, as well as the grassy hill that is reminiscent of so many iconic New Zealand stadiums.
The fact that the ground is within walking distance of the city centre is just an added bonus.
So let's go through that list one more time for those at Cricket Australia and the ICC.
Top batter's pitch that can offer a little bit for bowlers on a given day? Check.
Fantastic practice facilities at the ground that is big enough to accommodate multiple teams at once? Check.
The capacity for three thousand fans to pack into the stadium? Check.
And finally, a sporting mad city that would no doubt show up in droves should this dream become a reality? Check. Despite the long list of reasons why Orange should get a World Cup warm-up game next year, that isn't the main reason.
It is no secret that Sydney teams are looking to form connections out west.
We only have to look to the Penrith Panthers and the NRL as a whole for that. Bathurst, Mudgee and Dubbo have all had the opportunity to host NRL games in the past few years, but Orange has been left untouched.
Sure, we had the NSW Waratahs come out this year for a meet and great with the city's youngsters - which saw Wade Park packed mind you - but that isn't the same as watching them do battle for 80 minutes.
And yes, we've also had Shute Shield games here in the past. But that doesn't compare to the kind of exposure that hosting matches on an international stage can bring.
Orange has proven over and over again that it has the capability to handle accommodation for large scale sporting events, with every sport under the sun seemingly wanting to host state titles out this way.
So what is holding them back from pulling the pin and playing some games out here.
But my final point, and the main one at that, is it will help develop and already booming cricket scene in town.
I have played my fair share of rep cricket down in Sydney and have shared the field with players now plying their trade at the highest grade level. So when I tell you that I have been nothing but impressed with how Orange's junior and senior players go about their business, I mean it.
"With the unprecedented disruptions over the past two years, bringing the ICC Men's T20 World Cup to Australia for the first time offers a perfect opportunity for fans across the whole country to experience the joy of a live global sporting event again," said Michelle Enright, the tournament's CEO.
"The ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2020 produced some incredible moments and created memories that will live with Australian cricket fans forever. Now it's time for the men's event to take centre stage and claim its own place in history."
"The whole country." That is the key phrase there. It is all well and good to enjoy the games from our televisions, but we can do that regardless of which country they are played. What the people of Orange need and deserve is to show that we can play host to the best players in the world.
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