Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday confirmed a delayed commencement of the 2021-22 domestic cricket schedule. CA announced the dates of opening games for South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, while the further fixtures will be announced soon.
The report published in cricket.com.au also stated that work is underway to finalize the dates and venues of the opening games. The delay in schedule is because of the current lockdowns and border restrictions. Cricket Australia also said that the changes have been made in response to public health conditions, border restrictions, and their related impacts. It will continue to prioritize the health and safety of players, staff and officials, cricket fans, and the wider community, in navigating the upcoming summer.
The men’s domestic season will begin on September 22 with Marsh One-Day Cup. The opening game will be played between South Australia and Western Australia at Karen Rolton Oval. The Marsh Sheffield Shield season will begin on September 24. This year’s WNCL(Women’s National Cricket League) will now begin after the WBBL season. The first game is scheduled for December 16 and the final is to be played on March 6.
The full revised domestic schedules for the Marsh Sheffield Shield, Marsh Cup, and WNCL will be announced in due course.
The lessons of the 2020-21 summer have prepared us well to be agile and adapt quickly: Peter Roach
“Like all sports, we cannot rule out facing challenges created by the global pandemic in the season. However, the lessons of the 2020-21 summer have prepared us well to be agile. And adapt as required to deliver the best possible season for the players and fans.”
“We thank the States and Territories for their support. And understanding through this process and are delighted to be making a start to the season. We will build out further fixtures in the coming weeks and announce them once finalized. And also thank our fantastic partners Marsh, Foxtel, and Kayo for their ongoing support of domestic cricket.” he added