Amid continued reports Western Australia premier, Mark McGowan will not provide exemptions on the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine protocols, the MCG, among others, has emerged as a potential host for the fifth Ashes Test.

The MCG, SCG, and Bellerive Oval in Hobart have all been listed as potential hosts if the test is moved from Perth due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

Victorian sports minister, Martin Pakula, said: “The Victorian Government has certainly made it clear to Cricket Australia that if the Perth Test is unable to go ahead that we’d be not just prepared to host the fifth Test but very keen to host the fifth Test.”

“I’ve spoken to Cricket Australia and they’ve got a decision to make, firstly about whether they go with Perth…

“And if they can’t go to Perth and it’s a commercial decision then I think the MCG’s claims are pretty close to undeniable.

“We will wait and see but Cricket Australia is well aware of our interest,” Pakula said.

The reports of the move out of Perth comes as a result of the fifth test being scheduled for Optus Stadium on 14 January, just five days after the scheduled end of the fourth test in Sydney.

McGowan reinforced the state’s COVID-19 restrictions and travel protocols amid the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, when questioned if the state would provide exemptions for the event.

“We have put in place very strict rules,” McGowan said.

“So we’ve said to them, ‘you need to have 14 days quarantine’.

“And that has to apply to all the broadcast staff, the cricket staff.

“They can’t just bring wives and girlfriends with them, same rules as we put in place for the AFL.

“It’s up to them whether they want to adhere to those rules or not,” he said.