Australian Test hopefuls, including Cameron Bancroft, will have four matches to audition for Ashes series

Australian Test aspirants will have four Sheffield Shield matches to audition for an Ashes call-up. In the schedule for this summer’s domestic season, four red-ball matches have been fixtured before the first ball of the blockbuster Test series in Perth on November 1. And in a boost for West Australians vying for a call-up — including Cameron Bancroft, Jhye Richardson and potentially dropped all-rounder Mitch Marsh — three of those matches are at the WACA Ground. WA will open their shield season against New South Wales from October 4 at the WACA Ground, before travelling to Hobart to take on Tasmania. They then host South Australia and Queensland, with the clash against the Bulls schedule to finish one week out from the start of The West Test. A clash with reigning champions South Australia at Adelaide Oval will be played as a day-nighter from November 22 ahead of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba. They have also avoided the hellish run of away matches that scuppered last summer’s shield title defence. WA played four games in a row on the road last summer — for one win, one draw and two defeats — in the run into the Big Bash League break. This summer they will play three home and three away before the competition pauses. After the break they face Tasmania and Victoria at home and finish the season with trips to Queensland and New South Wales. Cricket Australia has done away with neutral games to start the one-day cup, which means Adam Voges’ side will open their season at home to Queensland. In a move harking back to the WACA Ground and one-day cricket’s glory days, the newly-redeveloped venue will host three day-night 50-over matches. NSW will travel west for an October 9 clash, then WA host Tasmania on February 10 and Victoria on February 21, a Saturday evening. The double-header format has been retained for the Women’s National Cricket League, with WA opening their season against Queensland on September 24 and wrapping up against ACT on March 15.