Cricket Australia on Friday unveiled the schedule for the upcoming season of the Big Bash League (BBL) with Perth Scorchers hosting Melbourne Stars in the tournament opener on December 15. Every club to play in front of home fans in bumper first eight days of men’s Big Bash League’s 14th edition. Reigning champions Brisbane Heat will cap off an epic opening eight days when they face Adelaide Strikers on December 22. Sydney Thunder will host two games in the opening week – Adelaide Strikers in Canberra on December 17 before returning to their western suburbs base four days later for the first Saturday night clash of the season, a blockbuster Sydney Smash against the Sixers.

That match will form part of a Super Saturday double-header with Hobart Hurricanes to play their first home game of the season in a twilight fixture against the Scorchers at Blundstone Arena.

Australia’s men’s Test players will again be provided with an opportunity to suit up for their Big Bash teams with every club to play at least three regular season matches following the end of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Test on January 7.

Usman Khawaja (Heat), Nathan Lyon (Renegades) and Mitch Marsh (Scorchers) are currently the only Test regulars with BBL deals for the upcoming season but batters Travis Head, Alex Carey (both Strikers), Marnus Labuschagne (Heat) and Steve Smith (Sixers) have long affiliations with their clubs and all remain confident of securing their deals for the tournament.

Clubs can also sign a maximum of two Cricket Australia contracted players to a marquee supplementary list, like the Sixers and Thunder did with Mitchell Starc and Test skipper Pat Cummins, respectively, last season and bring them into their squad should they become available.

“This is a brilliant schedule for fans, with uninterrupted action every night of the regular season and all the marquee games our fans love,” said Alistair Dobson, CA’s general manager of Big Bash Leagues.

“We also can’t wait to welcome back members of the Australian Test team once again in January, taking advantage of a bigger window following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.”

The league’s finals series will follow the same four-game format as last season, beginning with the qualifier on January 21 and concluding with a final on January 27.

–IANS

ab/bc