SYDNEY, May 20: Australia will host its first Twenty20 international in the coming season, and also play a one-day series and a one-off Test with a Rest of the World team. Cricket Australia had already decided to run a Twenty20 competition between domestic state teams after a trial last summer, but announced on Friday they had agreed to add an international match between Australia and South Africa after the game proved an instant hit with fans.

The one-off 20-over match will be played at Brisbane on Jan 9 at the end of a hectic Test schedule and before the start of the triangular One-day International series between Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

In a packed itinerary that will follow Australia’s Ashes tour of England, the world champions will also host seven Test matches as well as play in three separate one-day competitions.

The highlight of the season will be the October series between Ricky Ponting’s men and the Rest of the World.

Squeezed between those will be a three game one-day series in New Zealand for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, with the dates and venues still to be decided.

Schedule

Oct 5: Australia v Rest of World (1st ODI), Melbourne.

Oct 7: Australia v Rest of World (2nd ODI), Melbourne.

Oct 9: Australia v Rest of World (3rd ODI), Melbourne.

Oct 14-19: Australia v Rest of World (Super Test), Sydney.

Oct 27-30: Queensland v West Indies, Brisbane.

Nov 3-7: Australia v West Indies (1st Test), Brisbane.

Nov 11-13: Victoria v West Indies, Melbourne.

Nov 17-21: Australia v West Indies (2nd Test), Hobart.

Nov 25-29: Australia v West Indies (3rd Test), Adelaide.

Dec 11-13: Western Australia v South Africa, Perth.

Dec 16-20: Australia v South Africa (1st Test), Perth.

Dec 26-30: Australia v South Africa (2nd Test), Melbourne.

Jan 2-6: Australia v South Africa (3rd Test), Sydney.

Jan 9: Australia v South Africa (Twenty20), Brisbane.

Jan 10: Queensland v South Africa, Queensland.

Jan 11 - Victoria v Sri Lanka, Victoria.

Jan 13: Queensland Academy of Sport v South Africa, Brisbane.

Jan 13: Australia v Sri Lanka (ODI), Melbourne.

Jan 15: Australia v South Africa (ODI), Brisbane.

Jan 17: South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI), Brisbane.

Jan 20: Australia v South Africa (ODI), Melbourne.

Jan 22: Australia v Sri Lanka (ODI), Sydney.

Jan 24: South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI), Adelaide.

Jan 26: Australia v Sri Lanka (ODI), Adelaide.

Jan 27: Prime Minister’s XI v South Africa, Canberra.

Jan 29: Australia v Sri Lanka (ODI), Perth.

Jan 31: South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI), Perth.

Feb 3: Australia v South Africa (ODI), Melbourne.

Feb 5: Australia v South Africa (ODI), Sydney.

Feb 7: South Africa v Sri Lanka (ODI), Hobart.

Feb 10: 1st ODI final, Adelaide.

Feb 12: 2nd ODI final, Sydney.

Feb 14: 3rd ODI final (if required), Brisbane.—Reuters