Manuka set for Thunder, Strikers and Christmas Stars
Cricket fans in the ACT and surrounding regions will again get twice the Big Bash action, with Manuka Oval confirmed to host two KFC BBL|14 games in December.
Sydney Thunder will open their campaign in Canberra, hosting the Adelaide Strikers on Tuesday, 17 December, while the Melbourne Stars will call Manuka Oval home for a night for a second time in the last three seasons.
With the Melbourne Cricket Ground hosting the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India, the Stars will come to Canberra to host the Thunder on Saturday, 28 December.
Stars General Manager Blair Crouch welcomed the chance to bring his team of big names to the Nation’s Capital over the Christmas/New Year period:
“With the condensed BBL|14 schedule and the MCG unavailable due to the Boxing Day Test, we jumped at the opportunity to play against the Thunder at Manuka Oval.
“Based on the success of last year’s fixture in Albury between both sides, the Thunder’s existing relationship with the ACT Government and their own supporter base throughout the region, we hope to see as many Stars fans as possible make the trip up from north-eastern Victoria where we enjoyed such strong support last year.
“We have some of the best T20 players in the world with the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Tom Curran and Marcus Stoinis, who was recently named in the World Cup Team of the tournament, and we can’t wait to get to Canberra and for them to turn it on for the locals.”
Thunder General Manager Trent Copeland echoed these thoughts.
“We are looking forward to again delivering elite cricket in the region that has supported us so well for so many years,” he said.
“Blair and the Melbourne Stars, along with the ACT Government, have been fantastic in making this happen.
“Sydney Thunder will be out in force at Manuka Oval twice during the BBL again and we are looking forward to it.”
KFC BBL|14 key details
The enhanced 44-game structure of KFC BBL|14 will begin on Sunday, 15 December, and run through to a blockbuster Final on Monday, 27 January, 2025.
The 40 regular season matches will run uninterrupted from 15 December to 19 January, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This regularity of Big Bash cricket every night, including six huge double headers, will give fans the best opportunity to watch and attend.
The KFC BBL|14 Finals series will feature four matches from Tuesday, 21 January, culminating in the Final on Monday, 27 January, a national public holiday and within school holidays. Venues will be determined by regular season finishing positions and finals series results.
KFC BBL|14 will be more accessible than ever before under Cricket Australia’s new Media Rights Agreement with Foxtel Group and Seven West Media.
Every BBL|14 match will once again be aired on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo Sports, including three massive Super Saturday double headers exclusive to FOX CRICKET.
Thirty regular season matches, and the four Finals will be shown live on The Seven Network and, for the first time, the 7plus digital platform.
The full KFC BBL|14 fixture is available on www.cricket.com.au
