The Australian international summer will take on a new look in 2010-11 with limited overs cricket to launch the season before the 3 mobile Ashes Series takes centre stage.
Australia will play Sri Lanka in a blockbuster KFC Twenty20 International in Perth on Sunday 31 October to open the 2010-11 season with all the action and excitement of Twenty20™ cricket sure to catch the attention of fans early in the season.
The KFC Twenty20 International will be followed by a three-match Commonwealth Bank Series, with matches in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane leading into the drawcard event of the summer, the 3 mobile Ashes Series.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said the limited overs matches early in the season would help build the hype and raise awareness that the international season had arrived.
“There’s no doubt that Twenty20 cricket is a very popular format with the fans and opening the season with a big game against Sri Lanka will provide a great platform to launch the season from,” Mr Sutherland said.
“West Australians love their cricket and I have no doubts that a massive crowd will be out to see Australia’s first match of the season at home against an entertaining Sri Lankan team likely to include names like Sangakara, Malinga and Mendis.
“I don’t think we’ve ever played one-day internationals so early in a home season so we hope this will have people talking cricket a lot earlier than they might normally would be.”
With a 17-day break between the last Commonwealth Bank Series game against Sri Lanka and the first 3 mobile Ashes Test in Brisbane, Mr Sutherland said that period would give players sufficient time to go back and represent their state in the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield to prepare for the battle against the old enemy.
“The limited overs matches will provide plenty of early excitement, but we’re also very conscious that we need to give our Test players sufficient time to prepare for the big task of regaining the Ashes,” Mr Sutherland said.
“Having the international players back during that period will be a huge boost to state cricket as well as providing the players with some great preparation in the world’s strongest first-class competition heading into the first 3 mobile Test in Brisbane.”
The five-Test 3 mobile Ashes Series will be the feature of the summer with matches in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney before the hosts take on the old foe in two KFC Twenty20 Internationals and a seven-game Commonwealth Bank Series to round out the summer.
Mr Sutherland noted that with the ICC Cricket World Cup directly after the Australian summer, every limited overs match between now and then would be crucial to the side’s preparation to defend the crown in the subcontinent.
“It’s a very busy period for the Australian cricket team over the next 18 months with an Ashes trophy to regain, but we also have a very strong focus on retaining our position as the number one ranked one-day team in the world,” he said.
“A World Cup win would make it four titles in a row and with matches against Sri Lanka early in the season and seven games against England in January will provide the team with some great preparation.”
With 38 days of international action scheduled, along with another 16 days of tour games, Mr Sutherland said there would be plenty of opportunities for Australia’s cricket loving public to catch all the action and urged fans to get their tickets early.
“As with every season, there are plenty of things to consider when putting Australia’s summer of cricket together but we feel that the 2010-11 schedule offers fans around the country with some great opportunities to catch all the action against two quality opponents,” Mr Sutherland said.
“Melbourne will have a Big Cricket Weekend in January with a Friday night KFC Twenty20 International followed by the opening Commonwealth Bank Series match against England the following Sunday that will have fans flocking through the gates.
“Adelaide will also host a KFC Twenty20 International with a big crowd expected at the revamped Oval, along with the traditional Australia Day match that is always popular with fans.
“Brisbane and Sydney will feature during the 3 mobile Ashes but will also host Commonwealth Bank Series matches against both touring teams this summer, while Perth will be the season bookend both starting and finishing the summer.”
2010-11 Australian international summer of cricket
KFC Twenty20 International
31 October 2010 Australia v Sri Lanka Perth
Commonwealth Bank Series
3 November 2010 Australia v Sri Lanka Melbourne
5 November 2010 Australia v Sri Lanka Sydney
7 November 2010 Australia v Sri Lanka Brisbane
3 mobile Ashes Series 2010-11
25 – 29 November 2010 Australia v England Brisbane
3 – 7 December 2010 Australia v England Adelaide
16 – 20 December 2010 Australia v England Perth
26 – 30 December 2010 Australia v England Melbourne
3 – 7 January 2011 Australia v England Sydney
KFC Twenty20 International
12 January 2011 Australia v England Adelaide
14 January 2011 Australia v England Melbourne
Commonwealth Bank Series
16 January 2011 Australia v England Melbourne
21 January 2011 Australia v England Hobart
23 January 2011 Australia v England Sydney
26 January 2011 Australia v England Adelaide
30 January 2011 Australia v England Brisbane
2 February 2011 Australia v England Sydney
6 February 2011 Australia v England Perth
Tour matches
22 October 2010 Queensland v Sri Lanka Brisbane
24 October 2010 New South Wales v Sri Lanka Sydney
27 October 2010 (T20) New South Wales v Sri Lanka Sydney
5 – 7 November 2010 Western Australia v England Perth
11 – 13 November 2010 South Australia v England Adelaide
17 – 20 November 2010 Australia A v England Hobart
10 – 12 December 2010 Victoria v England Melbourne
Ticket on-sale dates
Australian Cricket Family: Wednesday 14 July 2010
General Public: Tuesday 20 July 2010
Australian cricket fans are encouraged to register as an Australian Cricket Family (ACF) member to be kept up to date on all the latest cricket news and information, including Ashes updates and tickets on sale announcements. Fans can register to become an ACF member at www.cricket.com.au/acf.
English residents interested in coming to Australia for the 3 mobile Ashes Series in 2010-11 should see the Cricket Australia Travel Office (CATO) website www.cricket.com.au/travel.
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