`Mark Waugh may be first to hit Melbourne roof’

Although there have been a handful of exhibition matches played indoors in the past, next year’s series will mark the first time a fully-fledged International has been played under a retractable roof.

Australian captain Steve Waugh said he welcomed the move. He said the atmosphere under the closed roof would be tremendous, having played an indoor match in Toronto several years ago.

“It’s really exciting, players love being part of history and this will be an historic match, being the first indoors,” said Waugh.

But Waugh wanted the rules changed in case the ball hits the roof. “It’s probably similiar to Canterbury in Englandwhere they’ve got a tree on The Oval and if you hit the tree you get four runs,” Waugh said.

“So I don’t know what it would be like if you hit the roof. Maybe it’s `six and out’ or `one hand one bounce’. I don’t know. Somebody is going to have to work out what goes on.”

“I would not think anybody would deliberately hit the roof unless they deliberately try to, although Mark (Waugh) will probably be the first to do it,” he added.

It also marks the first time that International cricket matches in Melbourne have been at a venue other than the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The 52,000-seat Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose venue that will host regular Australian rules soccer, rugby union and rugby league matches.The venue, due to open in February next year, will also be used for pop concerts and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Speed said MCG curator Peter Semosj would prepare a temporary pitch that would be installed in time for the three matches.

“This series against South Africa will allow us totest the stadium for cricket and it may be that we look to schedule this type of series as an annual event,” Speed said. Before the indoor clash, Australia will travel to South Africa for another three-match One-day series, which begins in April.

It will be the first meeting between the two countries since their memorable World Cup semi-final which finished in a tie. Waugh said, “Playing South Africa at any time is a great contest. The series on their home soil will be terrific but I can’t wait to take them on at Docklands Stadium,” Waugh said. —REUTER