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WBBL07: Perth Scorchers to start tournament in Tasmania, instead of Sydney as originally planned

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Jordan McArdleThe West Australian
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 22: Sophie Devine of the Scorchers bats during the Women's Big Bash League WBBL match between the Perth Scorchers and the Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval, on November 22, 2020, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Camera IconSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 22: Sophie Devine of the Scorchers bats during the Women's Big Bash League WBBL match between the Perth Scorchers and the Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval, on November 22, 2020, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Perth’s Women’s Big Bash League campaign will get underway in Tasmania, not Sydney as originally planned.

The first 20 matches of the WBBL07 tournament will be played across Hobart and Launceston because of the alarming coronavirus situation in New South Wales and Victoria.

Four Scorchers matches have been revised, with Perth’s opening double header against the Brisbane Heat re-scheduled for October 17 and 20 at Blundstone Arena.

Originally scheduled to start in Sydney, the Scorchers will now begin their campaign with matches across Hobart and Launceston before returning to Perth to play in front of members and fans for the first time in nearly two years.

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Changes to the schedule have been made in response to public health conditions, state border restrictions and their related impacts.

Matches scheduled for the WACA Ground the following weekend have moved to the UTAS Stadium in Launceston.

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Tasmania is in the ‘very low risk’ border category with WA, meaning squads can fly in and out without having to quarantine at either end.

NSW and Victorian players and coaching staff should also be able to fly into WA once they complete quarantine in Tasmania.

The Scorchers will then fly home and prepare for WBBL Festival Weekend at Lilac Hill on October 30 and 31.

All of the revised Scorchers matches will be broadcast including three on Channel 7.

Perth have an exciting squad as they hunt a maiden WBBL title with Sri Lankan superstar Chamari Atapattu and experienced South African allrounder Marizanne Kapp joining hard-hitting New Zealander Sophie Devine and the world’s second-ranked T20 batter in Beth Mooney.

It comes as the Women’s National Cricket League has been postponed until after the completion of the WBBL in December.

The WNCL will now be played entirely after the WBBL07 tournament is finished, with the first game scheduled for December 16 with the final set for March 6.

The full revised domestic schedules for the Marsh Sheffield Shield, Marsh Cup and WNCL will be released by Cricket Australia in due course.

Perth Scorchers’ updated WBBL fixtures

October 17: v Brisbane Heat at Blundstone Arena, 7.15am

October 20: v Brisbane Heat at Blundstone Arena, 1.50pm

October 23: v Melbourne Renegades at UTAS Stadium, 4.05pm

October 24: v Sydney Thunder at UTAS Stadium, 2.15pm

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