Launceston’s UTAS Stadium will again welcome the Hobart Hurricanes for some post-Christmas WBBL engagements.
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The release of this summer’s fixture revealed the Hurricanes will host the Brisbane Heat at the venue on Saturday, December 29 (at 2.10pm) and Sunday, December 30 (at 2.50pm), with the first of those matches to be broadcast on Channel Seven.
“Last year, and even the year before that, was really successful for the women in Launceston,’’ Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins said.
“Two years ago that was on-field, and last year off-field as a curtain-raiser to the men’s game, but that the game will be broadcast on Channel Seven as well with a big free-to-air TV audience is a great way for the team and the city of Launceston to showcase itself in the summer months, and that is exciting.”
Whether that game is part of a double-header with the Big Bash League like it was last summer against Sydney Thunder, will be revealed when the BBL fixture is released on Wednesday.
The city will see two matches in the men’s competition this summer, up from one last summer.
Cummins said the addition of two matches at Burnie’s West Park, with the Melbourne Stars to visit the North-West Coast on the weekend of December 8 and 9, on top of the Launceston games would solidify the Hurricanes’ reputation as “Tasmania’s team”.
“The fact we are going to have four WBBL games in the North (with two in Launceston) and the North-West is unprecedented content,’’ he said.
“Once the men’s is announced during the week with another two games in Launceston, to have six Big Bash games across the two leagues on top of the Greater Northern Team is a real testament to to the direction we are looking to take the sport in the region.”
Other highlights of Hobart’s fixture include ‘Four Teams Four Games’ festival Weekend on December 15 and 16 also involving the Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers, which will see the ‘Canes play under lights against the Sixers on December 15.
Six Hurricanes matches will be broadcast on Channel Seven.
The Hurricanes will open their campaign on December 1 against Perth Scorchers in Melbourne as part of an opening weekend festival.
The WBBL finals will be standalone, with the semi-finals to be played at the same venue on January 19, ahead of the final on January 26, as the competition moves to being separate from the BBL.
Cricket Tasmania also announced MyState would be the principal partner of the team this summer, as well as continuing its involvement with the men’s team.