Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed the itinerary for Australia’s three-match T20 International Series to be played against the Proteas in March next year.
The first match will be played at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead on Friday, March 4, the second at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, March 6, and the final one at Newlands on Wednesday, March 9. All three start at 6PM.
The series provides decent preparation for the World T20, which gets underway immediately after.
‘This announcement completes our home international fixtures for the 2015/16 summer,’ commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat. ‘We will be competing at home against New Zealand, England and Australia. These are three top-class teams and it promises to be one of our most exciting and competitive home seasons in a long time.’
The side will now play a total of four Test matches, eight ODIs and seven T20 International matches during the home season.
ERASMUS MAKES THE CUT
Only one South African umpire made it on to the International Cricket Council’s elite panel for 2015/16, which will commence on 1 July.
Marais Erasmus has made the cut to represent South Africa on the ICC’s elite panel of umpires following the annual review and selection process.
Chris Gaffaney and Sundaram Ravi have been promoted from the international panel of ICC umpires to the Elite Panel of ICC umpires, replacing Billy Bowden and the retiring Steve Davis.
The others are: Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Ian Gould (England), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nigel Llong (England), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Rod Tucker (Australia) and Bruce Oxenford (Australia).
VOGES MAKES DREAM DEBUT TO RESCUE AUSTRALIA
Adam Voges has become the 20th Australian to score a Test century on debut to put the tourists in charge of the first Test against the West Indies.
The 35-year-old played a lone hand with Australia’s tail to lift the tourists to 318 all out on day two at Windsor Park in Dominica.
West Indies then lost both openers to finish on 2-25 at stumps, still 145 behind.
The Western Australian was unbeaten on 130 after last man Josh Hazlewood was dismissed for 39 – the first time he has ever been out in a Test match.
Voges is the first man to score a hundred on Test debut since his state teammate Shaun Marsh’s 141 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2011. – AAP
NEW ZEALAND FISHING FOR MORE ODIs
New Zealand Cricket is negotiating with Australia to replace a Test with three one-day internationals during next year’s home series.
The teams are scheduled to play three Tests in Australia in November and a further three in New Zealand in February under the ICC’s Future Tours program.
NZC chief executive David White says a proposal to reduce the second series to two Tests is being discussed, making way for three ODIs leading into the World Twenty20 tournament in India.
White told Fairfax Media that adding a three-match Chappell-Hadlee ODI series would generate enormous interest in the wake of the World Cup final between the trans-Tasman rivals. – AAP
