Cricket Australia announced the dates for the summer of cricket on Monday morning with local cricket fans given the opportunity to experience all three formats. Photo: Supplied by Cricket ACT.
Manuka Oval will host one of the most action-packed Canberra summers of cricket in its history, with three international matches scheduled across all three formats of the game.
The first international match set to play out in front of the Canberra crowd will be Australia’s women’s cricket team, as they face trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a T20I match.
The number one ranked Australian women’s cricket team will officially open the 2018-19 Canberra’s summer of cricket on the 5th of October as part of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Series.
The annual Prime Ministers XI will also return to Manuka Oval and will move to an earlier date this year, with the fixture to be played on the 31st of October against powerhouse South Africa.
Manuka Oval’s maiden test match will be the final international match of the summer with Australia playing sixth-ranked Sri Lanka. The day test match will commence on Friday 1st of February and will be the second and final test of the two-game series against Sri Lanka.
Cricket ACT CEO Cameron French said he was excited that Canberra continues to attract high-quality international contests and Canberra supporters and fans have the opportunity to see the world’s best male and female cricketers in action.
“This coming summer will see three great cricketing nations right in our backyard, with New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa all set to play at Manuka Oval,” Mr French said.
“Canberra cricket fans will have more opportunity than ever before to witness world-class cricket in person and be part of history at the very first International test match played at Manuka Oval.”
All three matches will be broadcast live. File photo.
Mr French said that after the success of the women’s Ashes matches in Canberra last year, where Canberra had the largest crowd of the series, Cricket ACT was ecstatic to again host the Australian women’s cricket team.
Mr French was also delighted to continue hosting the PM’s XI, a highlight of the Canberra sporting calendar.
“The [PM’s XI] game is being played earlier in the year than previous years which will allow for a true representative team without International or Big Bash League commitments preventing players from being involved.”
“The Prime Ministers XI will also return to television broadcast for the first time in six years meaning more eyes will be on us and the broader Canberra region.”
All three matches will be broadcast live with the men’s international Test and women’s T20I available on Seven and Fox Cricket while the Prime Ministers XI will be broadcast on Fox Cricket.
Mr French said he was very confident that not only will the Canberra cricket community support this event but it will also attract visitors to the region to attend the match.
“This is the first time we have hosted test cricket so it’s a really special occasion for us.”
“Canberra continues to exceed expectations with crowd attendance and support for these marquee events so I have no doubt we will see a packed house at Manuka in early February.”
Tickets for the Men’s International matches will be on sale from 8 June with Women’s International matches on sale from 3 August. The ticket sale date for the PM’s XI is still to be announced.
Canberra’s summer of cricket
Third T20I Australia v New Zealand, Manuka Oval – 5 October 2018
PM’s XI v South Africa – Manuka Oval – 31 October 2018
Second Test – Australia v Sri Lanka, Manuka Oval – 1-5 February 2019
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