Melbourne Renegades batsman Aaron Finch eventually expects the BBL to introduce a Christmas Day game.
With a Christmas Eve and Boxing Day fixture set for this season, the BBL is yet to follow the likes of the NBL who will become the first professional sport in Australia to play on Christmas Day with Sydney hosting Melbourne at Qudos Bank Arena.
While Finch doesn’t expect such a game to be introduced before he’s retired, he isn’t sure whether he’d be keen on playing on Christmas instead of spending time with family.
“Well with it not being this year and not having a huge amount of time left in my career, I’m not sure I’ll be around for it,” Finch told SEN Mornings in response to whether he expects the BBL to introduce a Christmas Day game.
“But I think eventually it will happen, I’m not sure where I sit on it, to be honest.
“It’s such a special time for families to be together and I think playing Christmas Eve and Boxing Day there’s obviously a Test match followed by a Big Bash game that night, there’s still a lot of content in and around there.
“So, I think the way that it’s set up at the moment is fine.”
Instead of playing on December 25, the Renegades will instead head to Hobart to face the Hurricanes on Christmas Eve where they’ll hope to continue their strong 2-0 start to the season.
Finch says there’s a “nice feeling” around the playing group after their faultless start as it helps set up the rest of their season.
“Really important, I think adding a bit of experience around the group has really helped that,” Finch said.
“To go 2-0 is a really good start I think, it’s the first time in a few years that we’ve done it.
“Winning those close games is so important, particularly at the start of the year because you don’t want to leave too much at the back end when you get in situations where you need to win five from six (to play finals).
“It’s no guarantee, but it’s a nice feeling around the group.”
Finch himself has found form with the bat following Australia’s failure at the T20 World Cup, claiming Man of the Match honours for his 70 not out from 43 balls in the Renegades’ most recent win over the Thunder.