The Hurricanes will host perennial contenders Perth Scorchers at UTAS Stadium on Sunday, December 30, from 7.15pm, before a grand final re-match against reigning champions Adelaide Strikers on Thursday, January 31, at 7.40pm.

A season-high crowd of 16,734 fans attended Northern Tasmania’s inaugural match last December with Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins expecting a similar turn out this summer despite a hectic Christmas-New Year period for the ’Canes.

Adam Griffith’s men will play four home matches in Hobart and Launceston between Christmas Eve and January 4.

“We had a fantastic game last year against the Sydney Thunder… and we are really confident given the timing of the games, two games four weeks apart during the school holiday period, that we can get some great attendances,” Cummins said.

“They only need to support it a little bit more and we’ll have a sell out. 

“From a promoter-marketing perspective it does present some challenges as we’re not a big market like Melbourne or Sydney, which is why we have had to spread the games across the state.

“From a Launceston perspective both games will be on Channel Seven, and indeed the second one will be during ratings period, and we will be expecting close to one million people watching that game.”

The Hurricanes’ WBBL side will host the Brisbane Heat at UTAS Stadium on Saturday, December 29 (at 2.10pm), and December 30 (at 2.50pm).

Another clash with the Devonport Carnival appears to have been avoided, while Cummins wants to turn a day-time Christmas Eve fixture into an annual tradition.

He said having six out of seven home games during school holidays was a bonus.

“Some people think it couldn’t be more inconvenient if we tried, while other people go ‘that’s a fantastic opportunity, and a chance to get the kids out of the house’. Maybe mum or dad takes them to the cricket while someone else gets the house ready for Santa,” he said.

“It gives us an opportunity to start to build a tradition and to build Christmas carols into it as well where after the game people stay for carols and it becomes something people do every Christmas.”

Griffith, who replaced Gary Kirsten in the top job last week, said he is overall happy with the seven-home and seven away-game schedule.

The ’Canes’ season starts on December 22 against Brisbane Heat on the Gold Coast before four home matches, a difficult period in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney and a run of three games on the Apple Isle leading into finals.

“You always scroll down and look at positives first and from our end playing all those home games upfront will be really exciting and will probably be able to set our season up,” Griffith said.

“I don’t mind when you play clumps of games together – at home for a period and away for a period – because if you’re home and away a lot there is a lot of travel in there.

“Whereas when you get on the road, you’re just on the road and it’s like one big road trip.”

Griffith said a block of five matches from January 7-29 will be a true test for last year’s runners-up.

“The direct flight to Perth helps now but Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, and in particular Perth and Adelaide, have been really strong for the past couple of years as well,” he said.

“So not only from the travel perspective, the competition will be really strong. 

“But I think we saw last year towards the end of the season we beat a couple of good sides and gave us some real momentum to propel ourselves into the finals.

“That is one of those stretches that if you can play some good cricket and get some wins, it will really set us up.”

Launceston’s first match will lead into BeerFest at Royal Park, while the second will be held the day before Festivale.

The final will be held on February 17 with every match to be broadcast on either Fox Sports or Seven.