Hobart’s Bellerive Oval (pictured) has been handed an additional international fixture this Australian summer with floodlight delays at the Junction Oval in Melbourne forcing the re-schedule of the women’s ODI against India on March 1, 2026.

Head curator Marcus Pamplin and his hard working crew at the stadium, who are working tirelessly to get the ryegrass wickets prepared ahead of the ground’s first fixture of the cricket season on October 15 - a Sheffield Shield contest between Tasmania and Western Australia - now have two women’s international matches and one men’s Twenty20 international match this summer as it looks to once again put its name up in lights.

It comes after a quick turnaround from the end of the AFL season where the last game was played on August 17 between North Melbourne and Richmond.

The delayed installation of new lights at Junction Oval in St Kilda has forced the change, which would have been the first day-night match held at the iconic venue.

With Bellerive Oval already hosting the second women’s ODI on Friday February 27, the ground will then host the third ODI two days later instead due to travel constraints marking the only change to the schedule.

Hobart is also scheduled to host a men’s Twenty20 international between Australia and India on Sunday November 2 amidst an action-packed schedule which includes 25 matches at the venue from October until March 2026 in total from Sheffield Shield, WBBL, BBL, One-Day Cup and international matches.

Every state and territory will be represented in this summer’s jam-packed calendar, which includes the men’s Ashes Series, a white ball series against India men’s, a women’s multiformat series against India alongside the recently concluded Northern Australia Series.

Story and photos: Nick Creely