The BBL is facing one of its biggest challenges in a bid to build crowds as a smoke haze sends the competition into uncharted territory.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Sydney Thunder are set to return to Manuka Oval for a clash with the Melbourne Renegades on January 15, little more than three weeks after a smoke haze forced a match at the venue to be abandoned.
The NSW bushfires are showing little sign of slowing down to suggest the smoke haze blanketing surrounding regions will stay.
There is seemingly little that can be done to avoid the conditions given a smoke haze is effectively treated no differently to rain or bad light in a match scenario.
Five of the Thunder's next eight games will be played in Sydney and another in Canberra - with both cities affected by the smoke drifting in from nearby bushfires.
Thunder general manager Chris Botherway was rapt with the turnout of 5556 in Canberra over the weekend given the conditions as clubs prepare for more smoke affected matches.
"It's completely uncharted territory, we'll just take Cricket Australia's lead on it. It's out of our control unfortunately," Botherway said.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
"We had terrific support to be honest [in Canberra]. Having more than 5000 people there with pretty hot temperatures and a lot of uncertainty around the smoke shows people enjoy the Big Bash and the Sydney Thunder in Canberra."
One of those Sydney games is an away game at the SCG against cross-town rivals the Sixers, who have a further two home games over the next fortnight.
The Thunder's home game against the Sixers is the club's highest selling game at the moment - trailing that are the two home matches in Canberra.
The Renegades clash is the next cab off the rank in the capital.
"It's tracking really well, it's our second-highest [selling] game currently, it was third behind the game on Saturday," Botherway said.
"It's had stronger sales leading up to it than the [Strikers] game."
Sydney's return to Canberra was derailed by the smoke which choked the city and forced players off the field on Saturday night.
The umpires decided to halt play with four more balls required to constitute a game due to visibility before the air quality worsened at an alarming rate.
Strikers fast bowler Peter Siddle was struggling to breathe on the field as the smoke took hold and forced punters to flee the venue.
Thunder coach Shane Bond says conditions were so bad some people needed medical attention in the stands.