Four teams set to tour Australia in the summer

The Australia summer is jam packed as Sri Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand are all set to undergo their baptism of fire down under. The Australian summer is expected to go on for almost 41 days of international cricket including six Test matches. The board, Cricket Australia, is still attempting to convince the Proteas to play the day-night Test with the South African visitors skeptical on how to approach playing with a pink ball.

South Africa and Pakistan will play a three-match Test series each against the home team. The schedule also confirmed that the first Test between Australia and Pakistan will indeed be a day-night match played at the Gabba in Brisbane. Pakistan will also stay back down under to play a five-match ODI series against Australia in January.

However, before that, Kane Williamson will lead the Black Caps into a three-match ODI series scheduled to be played in December as the Chappell-Hadlee trophy is all set to commence between the two Trans-Tasman rivals. The trophy will be scheduled between the South Africa and Pakistan Test series’. The summer is set to conclude with a bevy of T20 internationals to be played against the Sri Lankans. The Lankan tour is set to take place in February with the Islanders playing just the three T20Is.

While Pakistan had no hesitation in accepting the offer to play the Gabba Test match with the pink ball, the South Africans are yet to agree to the proposal. A schedule was structured in such a manner that there would be a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval against South Africa.

A statement released by James Sutherland, the CEO of Cricket Australia read: “There is an enormous expectation that we deliver another pink-ball Test match this summer in Adelaide,” said Sutherland.

“Understandably, there is some concern from the South African players, but day-night Test cricket is all about the fans and a day-night match in Adelaide will be a bigger Test match crowd than the South African players will have ever experienced.

“The success of Adelaide last year demonstrates the huge potential the day-night format has in revitalising Test cricket all over the world, and it’s for that reason that it is our desire to stage another Test under lights at that venue.

“We believe that having the ability to move matches into the evenings provides cricket fans with greater access to the game, both on the ground and at home on TV, and there is no doubt that this will help grow interest in Test cricket.

“Even for cricket fans at home in South Africa there are benefits. The day-night Test hours will allow the match to be televised in a far more attractive time of day in South Africa,” Sutherland added.

Australia v South Africa – Test series

3 – 7 November: WACA Ground, Perth

12 – 16 November: Blundstone Arena, Hobart

24 – 28 November: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Australia v New Zealand – ODI series

4 December: SCG, Sydney

6 December: Manuka Oval, Canberra

9 December: MCG, Melbourne

Australia v Pakistan – Test series

15 – 19 December: Gabba, Brisbane (Day-Night Test)

26 – 30 December: MCG, Melbourne

3 – 7 January: SCG, Sydney

Australia v Pakistan – ODI series

13 January: Gabba, Brisbane

15 January: MCG, Melbourne

19 January: WACA, Perth

22 January: SCG, Sydney

26 January: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Australia v Sri Lanka – T20 international series

17 February: venue TBD

19 February: venue TBD

22 February: venue TBD

Also read – South Africa show reluctance to play day-night Test