THE Gabba is set to lose the first Test of next summer under a Cricket Australia revamp of home international scheduling, with pink-ball matches to be played against South Africa and Pakistan.

CA is close to finalising its schedule for next summer and, according to Fairfax Media, the Gabba will miss out on hosting the season’s opening Test, but will feature as the venue for the first Test of the Australia-Pakistan series, set to be a day-night match in December.

The Test summer will reportedly start in November with Australia against South Africa at the WACA.

The time difference between the west and east coast will allow broadcasters to screen the Perth match in prime time in the major markets of Sydney and Melbourne, a luxury they aren’t afforded when a regular day Test is staged in Brisbane.

Perth also has the added advantage of a significant South African expatriate population that CA and WACA officials hope will add to the attendance at the opening international match of the summer.

media_camera Australia’s historic day-night Test against New Zealand was a raging success. Picture: Sarah Reed.

The Gabba has been hit by relatively low crowds in recent years, especially in non-Ashes Tests, but Queensland Cricket will be thrilled to become just the second ground in Australia - and potentially the world - to stage a night-time Test.

Last year’s historic day-nighter in Adelaide was a huge success in terms of ticket sales and public sentiment, and Queensland Cricket will be hoping it can replicate the event this year even though the novelty factor will have been dulled slightly.

According to Fairfax, after the opening Test of the summer is held at the WACA the South Africa series will then move to Blundstone Arena in Hobart, while the third match will be a day-night affair at Adelaide Oval.

Brisbane will then host the first Test against Pakistan - effectively giving the Aussies back-to-back pink-ball Tests - before the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

Originally published as CA set for major summer schedule shake-up