Manuka Oval set to secure two Sydney Thunder matches for BBL09

The fixtures in Canberra will be finalised in the comings days, with the Thunder to play against the Adelaide Strikers at Manuka Oval on December 21.

Canberra is also set to host the Thunder's clash against the reigning champions Melbourne Renegades on Wednesday, January 15.

The return of the BBL comes after Canberra secured the rights to host its first men's Twenty20 international. Cricket ACT chief executive James Allsopp is hopeful of securing more Big Bash matches at Manuka Oval in the future.

"Sydney Thunder and ACT Government are close to finalising an agreement for this year and the long-term," Allsopp said.

Cricket Australia has unveiled fixtures for the 2019-20 season, with the finals reboot one of several measures targeted to winning back families.

Five teams will face off in a revamped Big Bash finals format aimed at rewarding the top finishers and adding intrigue to the end of the season.

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Average crowds dropped in every state's capital city during the expanded 2018-19 campaign, which spanned almost two months and was widely criticised for running well beyond the school holidays into a February 17 decider.

The 2019-20 regular season will be played across 41 days between December 17 and January 27 - the final day of school holidays - with the last seven home-and- away games crammed into the Australia Day long weekend.

The finals will start on January 30 and run across two weekends, culminating in a Saturday night decider on February 8.

Teams finishing first and second will earn a double chance under the new format.

In eight BBL seasons, the minor premiers have only gone on to win the title once - in 2016-17 when the Perth Scorchers triumphed.

"The number-one element is to make it the best chance for the teams finishing first and second to make it through," CA's head of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said.

"It's an amazing quirk of history that the team finishing first at the end of the season has only won it once."

The teams that finish fourth and fifth will face off in a sudden-death clash, and - as is the case in the AFL - they would need to win four finals to claim the title.

A key concern last season was the short turnaround after the semi-finals which left little time to publicise the title decider.

CA has looked to resolve that issue by providing the team that earns grand-final hosting rights with a full week to prepare.

The governing body hopes condensing the season will maximise viewer interest and make the BBL more attractive to big-name international recruits.

With the exception of Christmas Day, games will be played every day between the start and finish of the regular season.

For the first time since 1994 there is no international fixture scheduled on Australia Day, leaving the BBL to fill the cricketing void.

CANBERRA'S SUMMER OF CRICKET

INTERNATIONAL

Thursday, October 24: Tour match - Prime Minister's XI v Sri Lanka. Date and time to be confirmed.

Tuesday, November 5: Men's Twenty20 international - Australia v Pakistan, 7.10pm.

Friday, January 31:Women's Twenty20 international - India v England, 2.10pm.

Saturday, February 1:Women's Twenty20 international - Australia v England, 2.10pm.

Sunday, February 2:Women's Twenty20 international - Australia v India, 2.10pm.

BIG BASH LEAGUE

Saturday, December 21: Sydney Thunder v Adelaide Strikers, 6.10pm.

Wednesday, January 15: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades, 6.10pm.

WOMEN'S TWENTY20 WORLD CUP

Wednesday, February 26: England v Qualifier, afternoon

Wednesday, February 26: West Indies v Pakistan, night

Thursday, February 27: Australia v Qualifier, night

Friday, February 28: South Africa v Qualifier, afternoon

Friday, February 28: England v Pakistan, night

*Still to come: WBBL, WNCL