Australia’s 8-month cricket season set to end with a 150th anniversary MCG test under lights

Australia’s next international cricket season will start in August and conclude with the 150th anniversary test against England under lights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March, 2027.

Cricket Australia announced a home international schedule on Monday that will include 27 matches across 14 venues for the national men’s team, starting Aug. 13 with a two-test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay.

That will be followed by a white ball series against England involving three one-day internationals and five Twenty20s.

Australia will host New Zealand in four tests, in four weeks starting December 9.

The men’s test team also has scheduled tours to South Africa in October and India early in the new year on either side of New Zealand’s tour to Australia.

The three test matches in South Africa will be the first between the countries since South Africa won the World Test Championship over Australia at Lord’s last June. Australia’s test team hasn’t toured South Africa since the “Sandpapergate” scandal rocked test in 2018.

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said the eight-month domestic schedule, a new test cricket venue and the trans-Tasman rivalry against New Zealand would continue the growth of the game. The Australian season will end with the one-off anniversary test against England from March 11-15.

England’s players and management underwent a performance review following the 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia that ended in January.

“The 150th anniversary test match will be a wonderful conclusion to the summer with the cricket world coming to the MCG to celebrate the game’s historic rivalry,” Greenberg said.