PERTH (Australia), Aug 14: Cricket Australia (CA) has been forced to change the dates for the much-anticipated first Test between Australia and South Africa later this year to accommodate the Champions League Twenty20 tournament, it was announced here on Thursday.

With confirmation that the Champions League would be held from Dec 3 to 10, rather than in September as originally planned, the first Test at the WACA Ground has been pushed back five days to Dec 17-21.

The Proteas, who are second in the Test rankings behind the Australians after their series win over England, were also scheduled for a three-day tour match against Western Australia from Dec 6 to 8, but that has been changed to a two-day clash on Dec 13-14.

Domestic cricket fixtures in Australia will also be altered to avoid clashes with the Champions League, which will pit the best domestic Twenty20 teams from around the world against each other.

James Sutherland, CA Chief Executive, said the fixture change was good news for cricket fans.

“We were pleased with the WACA reaction that the new playing dates offer local fans, including corporate groups wanting to entertain at the cricket, good dates for a pre-Christmas Test match,” he said.

“We also took feedback from players that the changes could be accommodated without compromising what will be a de facto world Test cricket championship between Australia and South Africa,” Sutherland added.—AFP