Australia revamp home internationals

The annual tri-series has been cancelled but the calendar will still be filled with limited-overs matches in January and February after Cricket Australia released its 2008-09 schedule. Five head-to-head ODI contests will be played by Australia against each of South Africa and New Zealand as well as three Twenty20 matches, an increase of one on last season.

After the major reshuffle forced by India's late arrival in December 2007, the Test format swaps to a more traditional structure, although the dates for the SCG game have changed to allow the players an extra break between the Boxing Day and New Year's affairs. Australia's clash with South Africa will start on January 3, 24 hours later than usual.

The first Test of the summer will be against New Zealand at the Gabba from November 24 before the second match starts in Adelaide the following week to conclude the two-game series. New Zealand then go home and return for five Chappell-Hadlee Series ODIs and a Twenty20 in February.

South Africa will have a three-day warm-up in Perth before the opening of the three-Test series at the WACA from December 12, and another practice match is planned for Hobart in the lead-up to Boxing Day. There is no major fixture for Hobart, which hosted the second Australia-Sri Lanka Test in 2007-08.

The Proteas will then face Australia in two Twenty20 fixtures before the start of the five-match one-day series between the world's two top-ranked teams. "A new-look ODI format now features Australia in every match," James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said. Tickets will go on sale in August.

New Zealand itinerary
Tour game v New South Wales, November 13-16, Sydney
1st Test, November 20-24, Brisbane
2nd Test, November 28-December 2, Adelaide
1st ODI, February 1, Perth
2nd ODI, February 6, Melbourne
3rd ODI, February 8, Sydney
4th ODI, February 10, Adelaide
5th ODI, February 13, Brisbane
Twenty20, February 15, Sydney

South Africa itinerary
Tour match v Western Australia, December 6-8, Perth
1st Test, December 12-16, Perth
Tour match v Tasmania, December 20-22, Hobart
2nd Test, December 26-30, Melbourne
3rd Test, January 3-7, Sydney
1st Twenty20, January 11, Melbourne
2nd Twenty20, January 13, Brisbane
1st ODI, January 16, Melbourne
2nd ODI, January 18, Hobart
3rd ODI, January 23, Sydney
4th ODI, January 26, Adelaide
5th ODI, January 30, Perth