Cricket Australia on Friday announced the schedule for upcoming season of Big Bash League (BBL), Australia's premier T20 cricket league. (More Cricket News)
Perth Scorchers, tournament's most successful team with five titles, host Melbourne Stars at the Optus Stadium on Sunday, December 15 to open the fourteenth edition of Big Bash League.
Defending champions Brisbane Heat begin their campaign on Wednesday, December 18 against Melbourne Stars at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. All eight teams will play on their home grounds within the first eight days of the tournament kicking off.
BBL 14 will have 44 matches including four in the finals round.
The final of BBL 14 takes place on January 27. Eight double headers have been scheduled with matches to take place everyday except Christmas eve and Christmas Day.
The season coincides with the marquee India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test Series which begins Novemeber 22 and concludes on January 7. Australian Test players have been given a longer window for their participation in the Big Bash once the series against India ends.
"The League is delighted to deliver fans a schedule of 44 blockbuster matches for KFC BBL|14. This is a brilliant schedule for fans, with uninterrupted action every night of the regular season and all the marquee games our fans love. 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," Cricket Australia's General Manager Alistair Dobson was quoted in a release from CA as saying.
"We were really happy with the length of the competition which provides a really good cadence for clubs and … spreads the BBL out across the peak cricket period," said Margot Harley, head of competition development and strategy for Big Bash Leagues.
