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Bulls Go North for Twenty20

The Queensland Bulls will bring Twenty20 cricket to North Queensland this summer when they christen the new Riverway Stadium in Thuringowa during the 2007-08 domestic season.

The Bulls will see in 2008 with their KFC Twenty20 “Big Bash” match against the Victorian Bushrangers on New Year’s Eve at the new 10,000 capacity venue, which will launch an expanded Twenty20 competition that was announced today by Cricket Australia.

The Riverway Stadium has been constructed in what was previously known as Pioneer Park as part of the Riverway project – a recreation, cultural and residential precinct along the Ross River. It will be opened later this year.

It will be the second time Queensland has played in Thuringowa, with its last visit in July 1996 when the Cowboys Stadium hosted matches in the Super 8s series.

Queensland Cricket successfully staged a Twenty20 match on New Year’s Day at Toowoomba’s Heritage Oval last summer, with the match a sell-out, and hopes to play at least one match each season at a regional venue in the future.

Queensland will also play two Twenty20 games at the Gabba in January, one more than last season, when the match against NSW attracted a crowd of more than 27,000 fans.

The reigning domestic one day champions will open their season on Wednesday October 10 in a day/nighter at the Gabba against current Pura Cup champions Tasmania.

The Bulls and Tigers then meet in the opening first class fixture of the summer, a four-day clash at the Gabba from Friday October 12.

The Bulls will also play a three-day tour game against Sri Lanka at Allan Border Field from Friday November 2 to Sunday November 4 prior to the opening Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Gabba from Thursday November 8.

The Thuringowa match will be one of three appearances that the Bulls will make in regional Queensland centres in 2007-08.

Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Graham Dixon said, “We’ve been very fortunate to be able to showcase the game at venues like Cazalys Stadium in Cairns and Heritage Oval in Toowoomba at international and interstate level as well as take the Bulls squad to centres like Laidley, Biloela, Kingaroy and Dalby in recent years.”

“We will also make our first appearance in Mount Isa in the pre-season and that will assist us with promoting the game in that region.”

The annual pre-season City Bulls vs Country Bulls Challenge series will be held in Mount Isa on September 15 and 16, featuring a one-day game and a Twenty20 match, while Queensland will also play a one-dayer at Harrup Park in Mackay against the Australian Country XI on January 15.

Mackay is the host city of the 2007-08 Australian Country Championships in January.

Fox Sports has increased its coverage of the domestic one-day competition from 26 to 28 of 31 games and will again televise the Pura Cup Final, as well as five KFC Twenty20 “Big Bash” matches.

Dixon said the Bulls would have the opportunity to be at full-strength for their matches in November and December due to the break in the international season.

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