Three-day carnival of cricket in Sydney will launch the second Women's Big Bash League season
Blockbuster weekend to open WBBL|02
A blockbuster weekend of cricket in Sydney and on Network Ten will ring in the second edition of the Women's Big Bash League this December.
Today's release of the WBBL|02 fixture revealed all eight teams will be involved in a three-day carnival from Saturday December 10, with eight matches to be played across at least two venues including North Sydney Oval.
Quick single: View the full WBBL|02 fixture
Download: WBBL|02 fixture PDF
Four of those matches will be broadcast live and free on Network Ten's main channel, starting with a clash between the Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades at 2.10pm AEDT on December 10.
Reigning champions Sydney Thunder will then meet Melbourne Stars at 6pm, the first time a standalone women's sporting match has been broadcast in prime time on a commercial free-to-air network's primary channel.
Sunday's action will feature Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat.
The WBBL season kicks off 10 days ahead of the KFC Big Bash League season.
There will be 14 double-headers with the BBL – up from 10 last summer – including the blockbuster New Year's Eve match in Adelaide and the Melbourne derby at the MCG on Sunday January 1.
The finals series will again be played as double-headers with the BBL, with semi-finals to be played on Tuesday January 24 and Wednesday January 25, and the final on Saturday January 28.
Quick single: Big Bash League fixture released
Cricket Australia's Executive General Manager Operations Mike McKenna said the way the public embraced the WBBL last summer showed there was strong demand for the competition.
"There will be 14 double-headers for the BBL and WBBL to stand side-by-side, while still giving the two Leagues spotlight to shine equally on their own stage," McKenna said.
"Network Ten's commitment to the Big Bash summer means fans can enjoy more content with an increase in broadcast WBBL matches – a landmark commitment for women's sport.
"We are excited to have the standalone WBBL opening weekend launch the summer on prime-time Channel 10."
After the resounding success of the competition's inaugural season last summer, a total of 12 matches will be broadcast live and free on Network Ten this summer – two more than during WBBL|01.
Of those, 10 will be shown on Channel 10 and two on ONE HD.
Network Ten Chief Executive Officer Paul Anderson said the network was committed to broadcasting women's sport.
"We are proud to further cement our commitment to women's sport through a landmark deal that will see Network Ten broadcast 12 matches of the Women's Big Bash League – including four of the matches that launch the 2016-17 season from Saturday, 10 December, live and exclusive on Ten. Ten of the 12 matches will be seen on the main Ten channel," Anderson said.
"We will also for the first time broadcast the Melbourne Stars taking on the reigning premiers the Sydney Thunder in the WBBL, live from 6.00pm.
"That will be the first time a standalone women's sporting competition has been broadcast in prime time on a commercial free-to-air television network's primary channel."
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In total, 59 matches will be played in 50 days over the summer holidays, with every team playing each other twice.
Sydney Sixers and Thunder will meet in a WBBL|01 final replay at Spotless Stadium on December 28.
Both Melbourne derbies will be played as double-headers with the Big Bash League, as will the second Sydney Smash at the SCG on January 14.
Matches will again largely be clustered around weekends, to allow players to fulfil work commitments, with the exception of a series of mid-week games in the week post-Christmas.
WBBL|02 Broadcast matches (times AEDT)
December 10: Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades (2.10pm)
December 10: Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars (6.10pm)
December 11: Perth Scorchers v Hobart Hurricanes (11.10am)
December 11: Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat (2.10pm)
December 31: Adelaide Strikers v Perth Scorchers (2.10pm)
January 1: Melbourne Stars v Melbourne Renegades (2.10pm)
January 8: Hobart Hurricanes v Brisbane Heat (2.10pm)
January 14: Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder (2.10pm)
January 21: Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne Stars (12.10pm)
January 24, 25: WBBL semi-finals (3.10pm)
January 28: WBBL final (2.10pm)