Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
The Queensland Bulls and Queensland Fire will play a string of matches in Brisbane over the next two months as the 2020-21 domestic cricket season reaches its zenith.
Cricket Australia today announced a revised draw for the Marsh Sheffield Shield, Marsh One Day Cup and Women’s National Cricket, with finals in all three competitions to be held in March and April.
The Bulls will officially add Ian Healy Oval at Shaw Road to their list of home grounds in Brisbane, when it hosts first class cricket for the first time for the clash against South Australia from 23-26 March.
The newly revamped Ian Healy Oval will become the 12th venue in Queensland to host first class cricket.
The Ian Healy Oval is the centrepiece of the first two stages of the National Cricket Campus which was officially opened early last month.
The $18.6 million campus project is supported by the Australian and Queensland Governments, Brisbane City Council, Cricket Australia, Queensland Cricket and Northern Suburbs District Cricket club.
The Campus comprises three stages across the Shaw Road Redevelopment (Stages A & B) and the Allan Border Field Precinct Redevelopment (Stage C) which will get underway later this year.
Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson welcomed the debut of another top-level sporting facility.
“The work completed so professionally here will positively impact all players who utilise it in the years ahead, from the young boys and girls from the local community enjoying their first Woolworths T20 Blast experience under lights through to the Queensland and Australian men’s and women’s teams preparing for international series and tournaments,’’ Svenson said.
“Queensland Cricket again thanks the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council for sharing in the vision, and all of the stakeholders who worked so efficiently to deliver a world-class training and playing facility.”
Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile picture of Terry Svenson
“We are excited about the next step in bringing the complex here at Norths fully online with the Bulls playing the inaugural Shield match at the venue, as the preparations begin for the redevelopment of Allan Border Field this year in the next phase of the overall National Cricket Campus project,” he said.
“It’s encouraging for the Bulls and Fire players and coaching staff to be able to prepare with certainty now for the final months of the season and also rewarding for local fans to have opportunities to get out and support their teams at home.”
“We’re pleased with the fact that fans all over the State will also be able to follow the Bulls and Fire through broadcast and streaming services coverage from Foxtel, Kayo and CA Live, which is always appreciated,” he said.
As well as christening the State’s latest venue, the Bulls will also play a Shield and One-Day game at the Gabba and a Shield match and two One-Day games at Allan Border Field.
The Queensland Fire have also had their remaining fixtures confirmed, with three matches at Allan Border Field and two of their away games being shown on Foxtel, Kayo and CA Live.
The Bulls led the Shield competition by two points from NSW before the competition went into hiatus to allow the KFC Big Bash League to take place.
The Marsh One-Day Cup will be played over five rounds with a final on April 11. All One-Day Cup matches will be streamed live on Kayo and CA Live, with 12 matches including the Final also on Foxtel.
All Shield, One Day and WNCL matches will be hosted on a home-and-away basis provided the public health environment is conducive to doing so.
Based on current advice from Queensland Health, there are no restrictions on capacity for the matches in Brisbane, with usual COVID-safe practice in place for fans attending the matches.
Admission is free for all home games.
WNCL FIXTURES
February 20: Queensland v South Australia (Allan Border Field)
February 27: Queensland v Western Australia (Allan Border Field)
March 1: Queensland v Western Australia (Allan Border Field)
March 5: Victoria v Queensland (CitiPower Centre)***
March 7: Tasmania v Queensland (Blundstone Arena)
March 19: New South Wales v Queensland (North Sydney Oval)
March 21: New South Wales v Queensland (North Sydney Oval)***
March 27: Final (Venue TBC)
***denotes match to be shown on Foxtel, Kayo and CA Live
****denotes match to be streamed on CA Live only
MARSH SHEFFIELD SHIELD FIXTURES
February 17-20: Tasmania v Queensland (Blundstone Arena)
March 6-9: Queensland v Western Australia (Gabba)
March 15-18: Queensland v Victoria (Allan Border Field)
March 23-26: Queensland v South Australia (Ian Healy Oval)
April 3-6: New South Wales v Queensland (North Dalton Park)
April 15-19: Final (Venue TBC)
*denotes match to be shown on Foxtel and Kayo. All matches streamed on CA Live.
MARSH ONE-DAY CUP FIXTURES
February 22: Tasmania v Queensland (Blundstone Arena) **
March 11: Queensland v Western Australia (Gabba)
March 20: Queensland v Victoria (Allan Border Field)
March 28: Queensland v South Australia (Allan Border Field)
March 31: New South Wales v Queensland (North Sydney Oval, day/night) **
April 11: Final (Venue TBC)
**denotes match to be shown on Foxtel. All matches streamed on Kayo and CA Live.
