Sri Lanka ‘A’ to play Australia ‘A’ in Darwin

Thursday, 22 May 2025 00:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Australia ‘A’ squad during training

Two four-day unofficial Tests, three one-day L/O matches

First-class cricket will end a 19-year absence to make its return to the Top End in July with Australia ‘A’ confirmed to play a series of matches against Sri Lanka ‘A’.

It will be the first time that a senior Australia squad has played first-class cricket in the Northern territory since 2006, when an Australia ‘A’ side captained by Brad Haddin and featuring senior stars Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson played against a Pakistan side captained by Misbah-ul-Haq.

The Australia ‘A’ squad – which is yet to be named – will play three one-day games against the Sri Lanka ‘A’, before donning whites to play two four-day first-class matches. All five matches will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.

The first of those four-day games will be played on a drop-in pitch at the Marrara Stadium, the city’s largest venue that can hold about 12,000 spectators. The ‘A’ series will take on extra significance this year with an Ashes series to be played this summer. While the Darwin matches will coincide with Australia’s second and third Tests against the West Indies in Grenada and Jamaica, an Ashes summer brings heightened selection speculation.

SRI LANKA ‘A’ ITINERARY IN AUSTRALIA

4 July: First one-day match at Marrara Cricket Ground, 2:30 p.m. (d/n)
6 July: Second one-day match at Marrara Cricket Ground, 10:30 a.m.
9 July: Third one-day match at Marrara Cricket Ground, 10:30 a.m.
13-16 July: First four-day unofficial Test at Marrara Stadium, 10:30 a.m.
20-23 July: Second four-day unofficial test at Marrara Cricket Ground, 10:30 a.m.