DateRHome v Away-
03/23 21:30 - Central Districts v Otago 580-540
03/23 21:30 - Northern Districts v Wellington 362-450
03/23 21:30 - Auckland v Canterbury 473-474
03/21 02:00 1 Western Australia v Tasmania 723-346
03/15 21:30 - Central Districts v Auckland 480-521
03/15 21:30 - Canterbury v Northern Districts 534-533
03/15 21:30 - Wellington v Otago 421-379
03/14 00:00 - Queensland v New South Wales 144 & 301,316 & 127/5
03/11 00:00 - Queensland v New South Wales 445-449
03/10 23:30 - Victoria v Western Australia 144 All Out,244 & 119/6
03/10 23:30 - Tasmania v South Australia 123 & 8/1,271 & 175
03/10 23:30 - Victoria v Western Australia 274-412
03/10 23:30 - Tasmania v South Australia 312-446
03/07 21:30 - Northern Districts v Auckland 581-518
03/07 21:30 - Otago v Canterbury 326-324
03/07 21:30 - Central Districts v Wellington 572-585
03/01 02:30 - Western Australia v Queensland 617-471
02/29 23:30 - Tasmania v Victoria 547-490
02/29 23:30 - New South Wales v South Australia 510-546
02/28 21:30 - Otago v Auckland 646-705
02/28 21:30 - Northern Districts v Central Districts 331-544
02/28 21:30 - Canterbury v Wellington 635-636
02/16 00:00 - South Australia v Queensland 364-365
02/15 23:30 - Tasmania v Western Australia 720-513
02/15 23:30 - New South Wales v Victoria 368-454
02/03 02:30 - Western Australia v New South Wales 432-433
02/03 00:00 - Queensland v Tasmania 442-447
02/02 23:30 - Victoria v South Australia 445-444
12/14 10:50 - Uganda Women v Nigeria Women 66/4(15)-63/9(20)
12/14 06:30 - Namibia Women v Rwanda Women 102/7(20)-91/8(20)

Wikipedia - Big Bash League

The Big Bash League (known as the KFC Big Bash League for sponsorship reasons, often abbreviated to BBL or Big Bash) is an Australian men's professional club Twenty20 cricket league, which was established in 2011 by Cricket Australia. The Big Bash League replaced the previous competition, the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, and features eight city-based franchises instead of the six state teams which had participated previously. The competition has been sponsored by fast food-chicken outlet KFC since its inception. It was in 2016/17 one of the two T20 cricket leagues, alongside the Indian Premier League, to feature amongst the top ten domestic sport leagues in average attendance. The winner of BBL 13 (2023/2024) was the Brisbane Heat, who beat the Sydney Sixers by 54 runs in the final.

BBL matches are played in Australia during the summer, in December, January and February.

Out of the eight teams in the tournament, six have won the title at least once. The Perth Scorchers are the most successful team in the league's short history, having won the title five times including consecutively for two years twice. The Sydney Sixers have won the title three times, including consecutively for two years. The other four teams that have won the title are the Brisbane Heat, with two titles, and the Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Renegades, and Sydney Thunder with one title each.

Before 2014, the top two teams in the tournament used to qualify for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, which was an annual international Twenty20 competition played between the top domestic teams from various nations. The Champions League Twenty20 became defunct after its 2014 tournament.

History

Trophy

A design contest was held in 2011 to determine the design of the Big Bash League trophy. The competition was restricted to Australian designers, with the final design, chosen by the public from a field of three, revealed on 13 December 2011.

Expansion proposal

Perth Scorchers taking on Hobart Hurricanes at the WACA in 2011

It had been proposed that the tournament would undergo expansion into more regional areas not supported by international cricket. The expansion was originally planned to be implemented in 2012. The proposed teams included: Newcastle, Canberra, Geelong, and Gold Coast. A New Zealand-based team was also mentioned as a possibility which would be based at Auckland or Christchurch, but this is unlikely to happen. The expansion proposal was suspended, mainly because the proposed cities lacked the proper cricket hosting facilities.

Shane Warne bowling against Sydney Sixers in 2011 at the SCG

In 2015, former Black Caps captain and Melbourne Stars coach Stephen Fleming suggested the expansion of the tournament to include New Zealand teams and become a trans-Tasman competition. He said an expansion into New Zealand would be widely supported by locals. His views were also supported by Brisbane Heat coach and former Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori. Melbourne Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry also stated that he wants Cricket Australia to grant each club a fifth home fixture next season. Coventry said the BBL was ready to expand from 8 to 10 games, and adding matches would further establish the franchises.

In 2016, Anthony Everard, head of the BBL, flagged the league's intentions to approach expansion through a soft launch. He stated the short to medium term goal was to schedule BBL games involving existing franchises in regional markets before potentially adding new teams after the 2017–18 season when the broadcast deal expired. He also indicated the regional markets of Canberra, Geelong, Launceston, Gold Coast, and Alice Springs will likely host games during the soft launch period. On 27 January 2017, Everard announced an extra eight matches would be added to the 2017–18 season and implored each existing franchise to look at new markets when considering where the extra games would be played, although the lengthened season was not implemented until 2018–19.

In 2018, it was reported that the Gold Coast Suns were interested in securing a Big Bash League franchise if the competition was expanded.

Women's Big Bash League

Former women's Test captain and Head of Brisbane's Centre of Excellence, Belinda Clark, revealed on 19 January 2014 that planning for a women's BBL was in its early stages but could become a reality very soon. She stated that the proposal was being considered due to the huge rise in television ratings during the 2013–14 season, and the rise in women's cricket popularity.

On 19 February 2015, Cricket Australia announced that a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) would commence in the 2015–16 season, with teams aligned to the men's competition. It was announced that the teams would share the names and colours of the existing men's BBL teams, meaning that there would be two teams from Sydney and Melbourne and one team from Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and Perth.

The inaugural Women's Big Bash League was won by the Sydney Thunder against the Sydney Sixers by 3 wickets. The current champion from the 2022–23 Women's Big Bash League season is Adelaide Strikers who won their maiden WBBL title by defeating Sydney Thunder by 10 runs.

Christmas Day match

In December 2015, Cricket Australia revealed that they are looking into the possibility of hosting a Christmas Day BBL match in the coming years, possibly after the next season. If the proposal is passed, it would have been a first in the history of Australian sport since no professional matches had played in Australia on Christmas Day at that time. "It is something we have just recently started discussing, the possibilities of that. We're talking about playing a Christmas Eve match, we already play Boxing Day," CA's Executive GM (Operations) Mike McKenna said. This has not yet occurred, but in September 2018, it was reported that Cricket Australia had struck a deal with the Players Association to play BBL matches on Christmas Day.

The Plunket Shield is a prestigious cricket tournament held in Australia. Named after its founder, William Plunket, the tournament is the premier first-class cricket competition in the country.

The Plunket Shield features six teams representing different regions of Australia, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. These teams compete against each other in a round-robin format, playing a total of ten matches throughout the season.

The tournament is known for its high level of competition and is considered a breeding ground for future international cricketers. Many renowned Australian cricketers have honed their skills in the Plunket Shield before making their mark on the international stage.

Matches in the Plunket Shield are played over four days, with each team aiming to accumulate as many points as possible. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned the champion. The tournament not only tests the players' skills but also their endurance and mental strength, as they battle it out in various weather conditions and on different pitches across the country.

The Plunket Shield is highly regarded for its tradition and history, dating back to its inception in the late 19th century. It has witnessed some memorable performances and intense rivalries over the years, creating a rich tapestry of cricketing heritage in Australia.

The tournament serves as a platform for young and aspiring cricketers to showcase their talent and catch the attention of national selectors. It provides them with an opportunity to prove their mettle and earn a spot in the Australian national team.

Overall, the Plunket Shield is a highly anticipated cricket tournament in Australia, attracting cricket enthusiasts from all over the country. It embodies the spirit of the game and serves as a testament to the rich cricketing culture in Australia.