AFL Blocks Sheffield Shield Final at Adelaide Oval Over Safety Concerns

The prestigious cricket final will now be held at Karen Rolton Oval after the AFL declined to allow use of Adelaide Oval due to scheduling and field condition concerns.

• The Sheffield Shield final, featuring South Australia and an opponent yet to be determined, will take place at Karen Rolton Oval from March 26 to 30.
• Cricket Australia and the South Australian Cricket Association had pushed for the match to be held at the 53,500-capacity Adelaide Oval, but the AFL denied the request.
• The AFL cited player safety concerns, stating the tight turnaround between AFL games on March 22 and March 30 would not allow sufficient time to restore the field to its required standards.
• South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas advocated strongly for the use of Adelaide Oval but confirmed that no compensation would be offered to the AFL to facilitate the switch.
• This will be South Australia's first home final since 1996, as they aim to win their first Sheffield Shield title in nearly three decades.

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The Sydney Morning Herald Australian Broadcasting Corporation