New T20 International venue for Australia
Australia will play Twenty20 Internationals at the 80,000-seat former Olympic venue - ANZ Stadium - from the 2011-2012 season in a shift from the Sydney Cricket Ground, which has hosted international cricket in Australia's largest city since 1882.
A deal between the New South Wales state government and Cricket New South Wales will result in one Twenty20 International played in western Sydney for four years from 2011-2012, New South Wales state premier Kristina Keneally said on Tuesday.
The move is designed to attract larger crowds than is possible at the 46,000-seat SCG.
Cricket New South Wales chief executive David Gilbert said the shift would help to showcase the newest form of the game.
"We look forward to staging exciting, world-class cricket in front of local fans, along with the visitors from around the world we expect these matches to attract," he said.
Matches at the 80,000-seat stadium, which was the main venue for the 2000 Olympics, could include Australia versus India in 2011-2012, Australia versus South Africa in 2012-2013, Australia versus England in 2013-2014 and Australia versus India in 2014-2015.
The Sydney Cricket Ground first hosted a Test match in February, 1882 when Australia beat England by five wickets. The stadium has since been the traditional home of cricket in Sydney and has also hosted tennis, rugby union, rugby league and was also the main stadium for the 1938 Empire Games.
