India will play a Test match in Brisbane for the first time in 11 years and Queensland will be a joint-host of the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup tournament as Cricket Australia releases its schedule for the 2014/15 summer.
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Brisbane will have more than 75 days of elite cricket across the summer in the prelude to the ICC World Cup, three matches of which will be played at the Gabba in February 2015.
After prolonged negotiations behind the scenes, the Gabba retains its traditional start to the summer when India open the Test series, playing in Brisbane for the first time since a rain-interrupted appearance in 2003 that ended in a draw.
The Indians will also play England in an ODI in Brisbane in January ahead of the World Cup, while Australia will play only one World Cup match at the Gabba, against Bangladesh in February 2015.
The Queensland Bulls will play three of their four opening one-dayers in Brisbane as part of the renamed Matador BBQs One Day Cup, which is the new Ryobi Cup, starting from October.
AB Field will also host a Bulls game while Sydney will co-host the tournament and stage the final, despite Queensland being the twice defending champions.
Queensland Cricket chief executive Geoff Cockerill said there was a buffet of cricket for Queenslanders across the summer.
“There will be Test cricket, ODI, BBL, World Cup, domestic one-day, Sheffield Shield, WNCL, WT20 and other events, offering a wide range of contests and price points for all levels of supporters,” Cockerill said.
“We note that it will be first time since 1995 that Australia won’t feature in a regular season ODI at the Gabba, although the Cricket World Cup will deliver a key match for Australia when it hosts Bangladesh early in the tournament at the Gabba.”
“Queensland fans have a lot to look forward to. The Gabba will once again start the Commonwealth Bank Test Series with our world number one-ranked Test team playing India for the first time in 11 years,’’ he said.
“Australia and India haven’t played a Test in Queensland since 2003-04, so we’re thrilled to be able to schedule this match at the Gabba given we have only four Tests to allocate this summer.
“Fans will also have the opportunity to see our dual women’s world champions, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, when they take on Pakistan in August and September, not to mention the full complement of Bupa Sheffield Shield, KFC T20 Big Bash League, Women’s National Cricket League and Women’s T20 matches from October to March.”
Full details of the marathon five-months of cricket can be found at the Cricket Australia website.
