Cricket Australia releases blockbuster 2016/17 summer cricket schedule

Cricket Australia has on Wednesday released its summer schedule of cricket, with four nations to tour Australia over 41 days of international cricket.

South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will all make the trip down under, with the Proteas to play Australia in a three-Test series throughout November, while Pakistan will also contest three Tests throughout December and January.

South Africa will clash with Australia in Perth, Hobart and Adelaide, while Pakistan will contest the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, while also making appearances in Brisbane and Sydney. 2016 is the first year that Perth will host the first Test of the summer.

Between the two Test series, New Zealand will visit from across the Tasman to take part in a set of three One Day Internationals (ODIs) in early December.

Following the Test series against Pakistan, Australia will host a second ODI series against the Pakistanis across five dates in January. South Africa will not play a ODI series in Australia over the 2016/17 summer.

To round out the summer, Sri Lanka will visit Austrlia's shores for a three-match T20 series, with venues to be confirmed at a later date.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the summer's cricket calendar is one of the most action-packed in recent memory.

"We believe that there is something for all cricket fans in the upcoming program," Sutherland said on Wednesday.

"We have two highly-regarded Test nations in South Africa and Pakistan touring Australia this summer and both series promise to be great contests.

"The decision to start the international season in Perth allows us to do so with a bang. It gives Western Australian cricket fans, including a strong local South African community, the chance to see two of the world's best sides, while allowing us to broadcast the match in prime time to the east coast of Australia."

Men's International Schedule:

2016-17 Test Series v South Africa

3 - 7 November: WACA Ground, Perth

12 - 16 November: Blundstone Arena, Hobart

24 - 28 November: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

One Day International Series v New Zealand

4 December: SCG, Sydney

6 December: Manuka Oval, Canberra

9 December: MCG, Melbourne

Test Series v Pakistan

15 - 19 December: Gabba, Brisbane (Day-Night Test)

26 - 30 December: MCG, Melbourne

3 - 7 January: SCG, Sydney

One Day International Series v Pakistan

13 January: Gabba, Brisbane

15 January: MCG, Melbourne

19 January: WACA, Perth

22 January: SCG, Sydney

26 January: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

T20 Internation Series v Sri Lanka

17 February: venue TBD

19 February: venue TBD

22 February: venue TBD

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