ODIs featuring Australia, South Africa and the West Indies to be played at friendlier time for Australian viewers
Tri-series to be played under lights
The West Indies have confirmed all 10 matches of the upcoming one-day international tri-series with Australia and South Africa will be day-night fixtures, meaning games will be played in a much friendlier time slot for Australian viewers.
Traditionally, Australia's tours of the Caribbean have been difficult to follow for fans back home; for example, play in last year's two-match Test series ran from midnight until around 7am AEST, meaning only those willing to sacrifice hours of sleep could watch the action live.
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But matches in next month's tri-series will begin at 1pm Caribbean time and conclude just before 9pm, which translates to a run time of 3am until around 11am for those on Australia's eastern seaboard.
While the 14-hour time difference is still far from ideal, the series will be far more watchable for Australian fans than previous tours of the West Indies.
And the West Indies Cricket Board is confident the later start times will encourage bigger crowds for the matches played in Guyana, St Kitts and Barbados.
"This is a major series with three very attractive teams featuring some of the world’s best players," said the WICB’s Cricket Operations Manager Roland Holder.
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"They are accustomed to playing under lights all over the world so we look forward to some very entertaining cricket.
"We looked at ways to enhance the appeal and the spectator experience and it is accepted that fans like the day/night matches.
"I’m sure we will have a win-win situation for players and fans and everyone will enjoy the afternoon start and the finish under lights."
Only three of the previous 222 ODIs played in the Caribbean have been held under lights and this will be the first time all matches of a series in the West Indies will be day-night games.
The timings are also friendly for Proteas fans, with matches to begin at around 7pm South African Standard Time.
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The series will include nine group matches from June 3 until 24, with each team playing the other three times, before the top two sides play off in the final in Barbados on June 26. The series will be broadcast on Fox Sports.
Australia's first match is against the home side in Guyana on June 5.
Australia's 16-man squad, led by stand-in coach Justin Langer, departs for the Qantas Tour of the West Indies at the end of the month.
Australia squad for the Qantas Tour of the West Indies: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), George Bailey, Scott Boland, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa