Cricket Australia has announced the full 2011-12 interstate season program, getting underway with the RYOBI One-Day Cup on Sunday 9 October as the XXXX GOLD Queensland Bulls take on the Victorian Bushrangers at the Gabba and broadcast live on Fox Sports.
The Sheffield Shield opens just two days later with the same two teams battling it out in Brisbane while the Retravision Warriors host the PKF Tasmanian Tigers at the WACA Ground.
The Shield remains at 10 rounds of action plus a five-day final, with half the schedule to be played before the first Vodafone Test of the summer against New Zealand giving aspirants a significant opportunity to press their claims.
As announced previously, the RYOBI Cup has reverted to the traditional 50-over competition, but has been reduced from 10 to eight rounds with 21 games broadcast live on Fox Sports, including the final on Saturday 25 February.
Nineteen of the scheduled 25 RYOBI Cup matches will be played before the 1st Commonwealth Bank Series game between Australia and India at the MCG on 5 February also providing players plenty of chances to impress.
In a new addition to the RYOBI Cup, also soon to be introduced to One-day International cricket, powerplays must be used between the 16 and 40 over period, while previously used innovations set to continue include a different ball from each end, fielding restriction of four fielders outside the circle in non-powerplay periods, and a bowler being able to bowl a maximum of 13 overs (was 12 for 45 over matches).
The Sheffield Shield will also trial twilight games in those states with daylight savings.
Canberra has a received a strong boost of interstate cricket, in addition to the PM’s XI and Chairman’s XI games they will host a RYOBI Cup and Sheffield Shield game between the RTA SpeedBlitz Blues and PKF Tasmanian Tigers in early December, both at Manuka Oval.
Additionally, Mackay will host the Bulls against Tasmania in a RYOBI Cup match in mid-October, while the West End Redbacks will visit Burnie on 13 November to play the Tigers at West Park.
The RYOBI Cup and Sheffield Shield will take a break from 16 December until 28 January as the KFC T20 Big Bash League takes centre stage, featuring the eight new city-based teams.
The Women’s T20 competition gets underway on Friday 21 October with 43 games for the season, while the Women’s National Cricket League starts a day later on Saturday 22 October and will include seven rounds of action (at this stage, the date for both the WNCL final and Women’s T20 final are to be confirmed).
Fox Sports’ coverage for the 2011-12 season will offer subscribers coverage of 21 RYOBI Cup games, every KFC T20 Big Bash League clash and the Sheffield Shield final live and exclusive.
All live scores, news and details on matches during the season can be found at www.cricket.com.au. ABC local radio and ABC online will also continue its commitment to Australian cricket with regular coverage of interstate cricket competitions throughout the season.
Also announced today were the schedules for the 2011-12 Futures League and Futures League T20 competition, along with date ranges for all CA National Championships.
Other competition information:
Futures League T20:
28 Nov – 2 Dec (Melbourne)
CA National Championships:
U19 male: 11 – 20 Jan (Adelaide)
U17 male: 6 – 15 Dec (Hobart)
U18 female: 18 – 24 Jan (Victoria – area TBC)
U15 female: 7 – 13 Dec (Western Sydney)
Imparja Cup:
5-12 February (Alice Springs)
Commonwealth Bank Australian Country Cricket Championships:
1-12 Jan (Geelong)
