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The West Test: WA Cricket boss says Ashes match will be biggest ever played in Perth
The West Test: WA Cricket boss says Ashes match will be biggest ever played in Perth

West Australian

time19 hours ago

  • Sport
  • West Australian

The West Test: WA Cricket boss says Ashes match will be biggest ever played in Perth

November's Ashes Test will be the biggest cricket match ever played in Perth, the sport's top boss in Western Australia has declared. The first day of The West Test — to be played on November 21 — has already sold out and The West Australian revealed on Monday evening the second day is also on the cusp of a full house. It means the clash between the sport's two traditional rivals will trample on the previous all-time attendance record for a match in Perth. The State has never been blessed with matches at the pointy end of World Cups and has only recently signed a deal to open the summer season. Now the resurgence of Test cricket — particularly among its top three teams — has made this the biggest match ever played in the State and one of its most significant sporting events. 'Definitely,' WA Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said when asked if it was the biggest Test ever played in Perth. 'Obviously it is the first-ever (Ashes) Test at Optus Stadium, which we are really excited about. 'Cricket is making real progress, Test cricket is so exciting now. Two great teams competing against each other at the top of their game.' The flashpoint during the fourth Test of England's series with India, where Ben Stokes was left fuming by India's decision to bat on so two players could make centuries rather than accepting an early draw, has only served to heighten the anticipation for the Ashes. That comes after last summer's Border-Gavaskar Trophy series captivated the country. Positive discussions are underway involving Cricket Australia, WA Cricket and the State Government around extending the deal for the opening Test to be played in Perth. That would almost certainly take in another Ashes cycle. That deal — which locked in last year's India match, this Ashes spectacular and next year's clash with New Zealand — now appears to be a landmark one. 'It's an incredible privilege for Perth to be hosting that first Test, did it brilliantly last year,' Stephenson said. 'We are going to be doing it again next year, but there is nothing like an Ashes series and to be hosting — for the first time — the first Test of an Ashes series is a momentous moment for us. 'We are working through that. Obviously for us it would be amazing. Obviously after the New Zealand series next year that deal officially comes to an end, but we are really hoping to extend that.' It's nailed-down place in the cricket calendar has driven unprecedented interest in The West Test from domestic visitors as well as massive interest from UK travellers. More than 20 per cent of the tickets already snapped up for the match have been sold to visitors from the east coast. It is a sign The West Test is becoming a destination match. 'It's testament to The West Test becoming a destination event and to see such strong numbers from overseas, as well as interstate, it is validating the work we have done together to build this event,' Cricket Australia's executive general manager of events Joel Morrison said.

Married At First Sight 2026: Industry shock as TV presenter makes reality show debut
Married At First Sight 2026: Industry shock as TV presenter makes reality show debut

Daily Mail​

time20 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mail​

Married At First Sight 2026: Industry shock as TV presenter makes reality show debut

Filming for the upcoming season of Married At First Sight is officially underway. And Daily Mail Australia can now reveal a popular sports presenter will be looking for love on the 2026 series of the show. Well-known TV presenter Ankita Karungalekar was spotted tying the knot to groom Micah Lomu in Sydney on Tuesday. Ankita wore a traditional Indian sequin lehenga as she married the finance broker in an intimate ceremony. She held a bright yellow bouquet as she anxiously waited to walk down the aisle and meet her new husband. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Ankita works for Cricket Australia and has previously covered the Men's Test Match and Women's ODI CupCricket Australia. She was also the Miss India Australia Runner up in 2019 and Miss World Australia State Finalist for Victoria in 2020. Little is known about Micah but he appears to be a finance broker from Sydney. Meanwhile, fellow MAFS bride Gia Fleur was pictured on Monday wearing a very racy wedding ensemble as she married reality star Scott McCristal in a romantic beach ceremony. The bride put on a busty display in a mermaid tail dress, which tightly hugged her figure as she wed the Million Dollar Island alum on Maroubra Beach. Melbourne-based real estate agent Daniel Hewitt is also set to star on the upcoming season of MAFS. Hewitt has made a name for himself in the competitive Melbourne market, racking up $9.6 million in sales over the past 12 months, including a jaw-dropping $2.8 million deal for a seven-bedroom home in Chadstone that went under the hammer in June. Insiders say Daniel, who was born in England and bears a striking resemblance to UFC star Conor McGregor, is no stranger to the finer things in life. Daily Mail Australia previously revealed the 2026 season almost didn't make it to air after last-minute cast dropouts forced producers to scramble behind the scenes. 'They had multiple people pull out and had to move quickly to fill those spots,' one well-placed source revealed. But the end result? A bold, diverse cast of professionals, creatives, and big personalities - with producers tipping this to be one of the 'most explosive seasons yet.' 'Some couples are hitting it off immediately, others are absolute mismatches - the drama is already building,' one insider said. 'Daniel's definitely one to watch. He's got that mix of confidence, cheek, and unpredictability - and it's going to make for great TV.' MAFS 2026: Meet the cast Meet the brides and grooms set to walk down the aisle on Married At First Sight Australia season 13:

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