- T20 Big Bash will not be played on Christmas Day again
- NBL has been playing matches on December 25 since 2022
- Cricket fans can expect consistent BBL matches from December 15
Cricket Australia will still avoid Big Bash matches on Christmas Day, but the new season schedule will include T20 matches played on Christmas Day. 44 of the 46 nights since the opening match on December 15.
The competition runs until January 27. Test stars affiliated with BBL clubs can now field for their teams in the final two weeks of the tournament (and then the final).
But even on Christmas Day, no cricket matches are held, despite the success of the NBL in recent years.
The BBL management has also reacted cautiously to the idea of playing on Christmas Eve, after players indicated that they might have to travel the next day and would not be able to be with their loved ones.
In 2022, the NBL hosted its first Christmas Day match between the Sydney Kings and Melbourne United, a decision that proved wise given the strong viewing figures of recent years.
Instead, Cricket Australia has focused primarily on recruiting Test team members, with players such as captain Pat Cummins (Sydney Thunder) now having formal or informal links with a club.
But it is still unclear whether they will be allowed to play in the BBL after a gruelling five-match series against India.
Test players are scheduled to fly to Sri Lanka in late January or February for two more Test matches. The dates for the matches are yet to be confirmed.
Cricket Australia will still avoid Big Bash matches on Christmas Day, but the new season schedule will see T20 matches played on 44 of the 46 nights from the opening match on December 15 (pictured, Sydney Sixers star Steve Smith)
The competition runs until January 27, with the door open for Test stars affiliated with BBL clubs to enter their teams in the final two weeks of the tournament, plus the final (pictured, Test captain Pat Cummins in action for the Sydney Thunder)
Veteran batsman David Warner is expected to be a key figure for the Sydney Thunder this summer
But that could happen before the BBL ends and those matches could be crucial to qualifying for the World Test Championship and defending the title Australia won in 2023.
BBL boss Alastair Dobson said the “bigger window” was part of a “brilliant scheme for fans”.
“With uninterrupted action every night of the regular season and all the important games our fans love,” he said in a statement.
‘We also can’t wait to welcome back members of the Australian Test team in January so we can take advantage of an extended window following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.’
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc has not played in the BBL since 2014-15 and Cummins since 2019-20, but both played in the financially lucrative IPL this year.
Cummins also played Major League Cricket in the US.
Officials are still in the race for the ILT20 in the UAE, which will feature 54 foreign players. The tournament has been brought forward a week this summer, starting on January 10, meaning there will be another clash with the Big Bash.
The SA20 in South Africa is also still in the same late January window, making it possible for overseas players to leave midway through the BBL.
Cricket Australia allowed BBL teams to sign players from overseas on multi-year contracts, but only if they remained in Australia for the entire season.
England’s Sam Billings, Tom Curran and Chris Jordan have so far taken up the option, with each club limited to one multi-year deal for an overseas player.
The start on December 15 in Perth is the most recent in history. For the first time in eight years, almost the entire competition will be played during the school holidays.