Stay overnight at the WACA and play backyard cricket with Mike Hussey. Picture: Rachel Claire.
Cricket fans are being offered a rare chance to spend the night at the WACA and get woken up by champion player Mike Hussey during the first Test in The Ashes series later this month.
It includes a night sleeping in a glamping tent on the field, a game of backyard cricket with Hussey as well as tickets for Day 2 of the test at nearby Optus Stadium.
Guests will stay at the ground for the night after day one of the Test series on Friday, November 21, have a tour of the ground and dinner in the Bradman Room, as well as several hours spent with the cricketing legend known as Mr Cricket — once he wakes them up the next morning.
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“I will be banging on the tent, saying let’s go at 6.30am,” Hussey said.
“Then it’s brekkie and some backyard cricket, and I’m hoping I can show them the old score board, too.”
The promotion is being run by Airbnb who will open a single booking of an up to four-person group from noon on November 7, with the spot to be first come first served.
There is no price set for the occasion, though fans must get to the ground themselves.
Mike Hussey has done many memorable things at the WACA, but hosting a round of backyard cricket is not among them. Picture: Rachel Claire.
The luxury glamping space that four cricket fans will get access to for the night. Picture: Rachel Claire.
Hussey played 79 Test matches as a batsman for Australia and was added to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023, and said he would be sharing memories of his cricket career with the guests.
“What better way to kick off the 2025 Ashes series than with an exclusive stay on the famous WACA Ground in my home town, Perth,” he said.
While he’s stayed in a few interesting spots over the years, including old roadside dongas while driving up the Western Australian coast, Hussey said he’d never spent the night anywhere as exclusive as the WACA.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to sleep on the hallowed turf,” he said.
“And you are in with all the memorabilia.”
Mike Hussey’s Backyard Cricket Tips
– You need electric tape on one side of the tennis ball;
– Have some music going in the background;
– Having a barbecue cooking is also vital;
– A full esky is also very important;
– Take care of all of the above, and the cricket will take care of itself;
– Over the fence is six and out, but that’s less likely if you’re on the WACA;
His tip for breakfast ahead of watching a full day of Test cricket was to go big with bacon and eggs, maybe some sausages, as well as tomato, avocado and mushrooms on sourdough toast slices.
WA Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said with Cricket Australia stats showing 42,000 tickets have been sold for the Test series opener, including 18,000 tickets bought by interstate and overseas fans, high demand was expected for accommodation in Perth.
“In collaboration with Airbnb, we’re opening our doors in a new and exciting way – giving
fans a chance to wake up where sporting magic happens and experience the traditions
that make cricket so special,” Mr Stephenson said.
Airbnb Australian country manager Susan Wheeldon said they were expecting a surge in activity for the much anticipated test series, with demand for Perth residences on the site doubling from international searches compared to the same time in 2024.
A piece of the WACA’s outfield will be set aside for the overnight stay. Picture: Rachel Claire.
The guests might have to avoid the temptation for a late night, with the ground needed for day two of the Test the next morning. Picture: Rachel Claire.
“Major events such as The Ashes bring people together from around the world and
present a fantastic option for those looking to pocket some extra cash and offset other
holiday expenses,” Ms Wheeldon said.
The Perth test match helped accommodation providers working with Airbnb earn an average $915 during last year’s Ashes test in WA.
The firm’s sports tourism report has found 70 per cent of Aussies would travel for a sporting event.
Hussey said travelling fans were a huge part of the game for Australia’s cricketers.
“Those fans are awesome, particularly the overseas travellers,” he said.
“When you are in England, you cop plenty of stick, so it’s nice when you do get some fans cheering you.
“And often you do get to meet them at the pub or a hotel, and it definitely makes a difference as a player. You know there are people watching you 1000s of miles away, but knowing there are there at the ground too, it pushes you on to go that extra mile.”
Once Hussey has called stumps, there’s scope to fire up a movie for the night. Picture: Rachel Claire.
Getting a great seat at the cricket is a constant pursuit for fans. Getting a great sleep would put you in fairly rare company. Picture: Rachel Claire.
The cricket champ pointed to a particular T20 semi-final against Pakistan in the West Indies, a match where Australia had three overs to chase another 50 runs.
It was a tall order, but every time he looked to a particular part of the ground there was a crowd of Aussie fans.
“They were just going nuts every time we hit a four or a six, and seeing them jump around did push us on — and we did get over the line,” he said.
Separate data from commercial real estate firm CBRE shows rugby fans following the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in winter added $42m to hotel revenues across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney earlier this year.
Their report also found hotels reached 89 per cent of capacity in Brisbane during the peak of the sporting series, while Melbourne’s reached 91 per cent and Sydney topped out at 93 per cent.
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