Cricket Australia has released the schedule for the abbreviated men's Big Bash season, which incorporates a new four-team, four-game finals system. At the end of the Big Bash League’s regular season, the top two clubs will retain their double chance under a new BBL finals structure which was confirmed on Thursday by the league itself. Cricket Australia (CA) has released the 44-game BBL 13 calendar, which features 40 home-and-away matches as well as a new four-game finals series featuring the top four clubs.
The last season's runner up- Brisbane Heat will launch the tournament’s 13th edition as they host the Melbourne Stars at Gabba on December 7. The stars will feature in the opening game for third consecutive summer in the Big Bash League, having lost a last-ball thriller English wicketkeeper Joe Clarke let through four byes against Sydney Thunder at Manuka Oval last year after being being rocked for 61 by Sydney Sixers in the year prior.
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The Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes, and Thunder will play two games in the first week before the tournament takes a five-day break from December 14-18, when the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth would have interfered with the BBL's prime-time window on the country's east coast.
The reduced window for the 13th season (with clubs playing 10 home-and-away matches instead of 14), has been implemented 12 months ahead of a new seven-year broadcast deal between CA, the Foxtel Group, and Seven West Media, has alleviated some of the league's scheduling woes.
This season, there are eight fewer double-headers (five compared to 13 in BBL 12), and there will be no games on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day as the league prioritises its greatest games in prime-time slots.
"Christmas Day is one that is often raised (but) in the season we have with 40 games and our ability to schedule our biggest games in their best slots, we haven't seen this year a need for a Christmas Day game," said Alistair Dobson, CA's general manager of Big Bash Leagues.
"It's not something we have a firm policy on one way or the other. If in future seasons that looks like an option to explore, we would consider it and work with our stakeholders.
"But for this season and the shape of the season, it hasn't been required.
"A December 23 game for the Hurricanes is something they are going to build up to maintain that Christmas tradition."
The Sydney Thunder will meet the Renegades at the Showgrounds in the penultimate home-and-away encounter of the regular season on January 17, before the finals begin two days later.
Another scheduling issue posed is that the Strikers and Heat will be unable to host finals at home due to Australia's two-Test series against the West Indies, which includes Tests in Adelaide (January 17-21) and Brisbane (January 25-29).
The new structure for Finals:
The first and second-placed teams in the new finals series will compete in the 'Qualifier' on January 19 for direct entry into the Final.
Third and fourth place then compete in the 'Knockout' the following night, with the winner facing the loser of the Qualifier in the 'Challenger' on January 22. The winner of the Challenger will compete against the winner of the Qualifier for the BBL's grand prize on January 24.
The new-look four-match Finals Series, seems to be similar to the one in the Indian Premier League (IPL),
Alistair Dobson, General Manager, Big Bash Leagues said: "Were incredibly pleased and excited with the BBL fixture we've been able to deliver this season, with an array of highlights for fans to embrace throughout the summer period.”
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"The BBL season will again complement the overall shape of this summer's cricket schedule, and with the season starting on December 7 this season, a week earlier than usual, we've got a tremendous opportunity to engage with communities and connect with fans across seven Blockbuster nights of Big Bash ahead of the first Men's Test in Perth.
“Were looking forward to seeing the new finals structure in action, culminating in a prime-time Final during the school holidays which is a real win for fans," Dobson was quoted as saying in a release.
Dobson also informed that about the plans for the ninth edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) will be announced next week. "We're working through the final details of the Weber WBBL09 schedule and look forward to unveiling it in the coming week.