Big Bash announce earliest ever start to season

The fixture list for the BBL was announced on Wednesday, with Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades getting the competition up and running at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, December 3

The Big Bash will start earlier than ever and run for more than 60 days in 2020-21, as organisers look to allow space for potential interruptions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The fixture list for the BBL was announced on Wednesday, with Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades getting the competition up and running at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, December 3.

Round robin matches will run until Tuesday, January 26, while the final is scheduled for Sunday, February 6.

The majority of the competition overlaps with Australia's international calendar, meaning all-format superstars like David Warner and Pat Cummins may not be able to feature at all in the BBL.

“As the BBL approaches its tenth season, the League, our Clubs and our Partners are doing everything possible to ensure that we are set and ready to go for a great Summer of Big Bash,” Big Bash Leagues head Alistair Dobson said.

SEE THE FULL BBL 10 SCHEDULE - CLICK HERE

“Scheduling in the time of coronavirus is not without its challenges, as we have seen in elite sporting conditions at home and abroad, and there are factors outside the League itself which could impact the fixture at a later date.

“That said, at this time, we are happy with the fixture as it stands and excited to celebrate a decade of Big Bash with Australian fans during the summer.

“It should ensure that more BBL matches are played in prime time and enable the regular season to again finish inside the school holidays which was a key objective, particularly in light of the busy international schedule planned for the coming summer.

“We will also be making more announcements in due course about enhancements to the League that we are confident will excite and delight fans across the country.”