Cricket Australia (CA) has unveiled its highly anticipated domestic schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season. The announcement includes fixtures for the Sheffield Shield, Australia A tours, and the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL). Exciting matchups and expanded opportunities for women’s cricket are among the highlights of the schedule.
One of the notable events is the Australia A tour, as they will host New Zealand A for two four-day games in August and September. The series will also feature a highly anticipated day-night pink ball fixture, adding further excitement for cricket enthusiasts.
In preparation for the first Test against Pakistan, Cricket Australia has scheduled a tour game for the Pakistan side. The Prime Minister XI will play a four-day fixture at Manuka Oval in Canberra, providing valuable practice for the visiting team ahead of the Test series commencing on December 14.
The Sheffield Shield, the premier first-class cricket competition in Australia, will run from October to March. It is worth noting that the first six rounds of the tournament will be completed before Australia takes on Pakistan in the opening Test match. This scheduling decision raises questions as the Australian players will not have the opportunity to play any red-ball games before the Test series.
As per CA Domestic Fixtures 2023-24 Schedule, WNCL fixtures will be hosted in top-tier stadiums
As part of Cricket Australia’s commitment to expanding women’s cricket, the upcoming schedule includes hosting WNCL matches in top-tier stadiums. South Australia will host a fixture at the iconic Adelaide Oval, marking their return after 13 years. Moreover, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) will also showcase matches at prestigious venues such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Additionally, both men’s and women’s teams will have the opportunity to play tour matches. Ahead of the three-Test series, the Pakistan men’s team will participate in a tour game to acclimate themselves to Australian conditions. Similarly, the South Africa women’s team will face Governor General’s XI in a warm-up match before their limited-overs and Test fixtures, which are set to begin on January 27.
The Marsh One-Day Cup, the limited-overs 50-over competition, will remain an eight-game tournament. Western Australia, the defending champion in both the Sheffield Shield and the Marsh Cup, will commence their campaign against Queensland at Allan Border Field on September 24. In the Sheffield Shield, their first-class title defense will start against Victoria at the WACA on October 4.
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