Canberra gets BBL opener after losing women's T20I

The news helps dampen the loss of one of Manuka Oval's two women's T20 Internationals in January, which came about as a flow-on effect from South Africa's withdrawal from the men's one-day international series.

While Manuka will only host three T20Is now they'll instead get the opening game of the BBL - between the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars on December 13.

The Thunder will also play the Melbourne Renegades in Canberra on January 19.

Canberra hosted 13 BBL games in the 2020-21 season, when COVID-19 caused havoc with the fixtures.

That's been acknowledged with first game of the smashfest.

"We're ... looking forward to returning for our two matches at Manuka Oval," head of Thunder Andrew Gilchrist said.

"Canberra has also provided Thunder with great support. We've played down there for a number of years. We love travelling to Canberra, and Canberra love having us.

"The facilities are first-class, something everyone saw when Canberra pretty much hosted an entire BBL season there a few years ago."

Canberra was set to host four T20Is in total this summer, but that will now only be three following the loss of the Australia-Pakistan clash initially set down for January 27 - which will now be held in Hobart a day earlier instead.

Cricket ACT will still host the Australia-Pakistan clash on January 29, as well as the two men's T20Is between Australia and England on October 12 and 14, as part of their 100^th birthday celebrations.

It's believed Cricket Australia considered shifting one of the two Australia-England games as well, but Cricket ACT chief executive Olivia Thornton was thankful they opted against it.

"I'm excited about having the international men's T20s in town around centenary," she said.

"It's a really important occasion for us an organisation and for us to be able to launch our centenary celebrations at one of those games is going to be pretty exciting.

"One thing COVID has taught us that sometimes these sort of things are a bit fluid, but we're really excited about being able to host the men's team in the lead-up to the [T20] World Cup as well."

The withdrawal of South Africa - because they want their players to play in their new domestic T20 league - would have left Hobart without hosting an Australian team this summer, but now they have the women's team.

Hobart has nine games from the men's T20 World Cup in October, but none of them involve Australia.

Thornton said it was disappointing to lose a game, but understood the reasons why.

She said the Prime Minister's XI game was close to being finalised - with a date and opponent identified - they were just waiting on new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's office signing them off.

"I can understand the importance of sharing international content around because we know how important it is in terms of recruitment and retention, and inspiring that next generation," Thornton told The Canberra Times.

"Whilst we never want to lose any international content, in this instance it's the right thing to do."

CANBERRA'S SUMMER OF CRICKET AT MANUKA OVAL

Men's T20Is: Australia v England on October 12 and 14. Both games at 6.40pm.

WBBL: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades, November 15 at 7.10pm.

BBL: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars, December 13; Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Renegades, January 19.

Women's T20I: Australia v Pakistan on January 29 at 1.45pm.

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