In the 2007-08 season the Nine Network celebrates 30 years of cricket coverage since Kerry Packer stormed into the game with the World Season Cricket revolution.

Since then, Australians have tuned in to Nine for their cricket fix and come to regard the network as the home of the game.

Nine’s blockbuster summer of cricket begins when Australia takes on Sri Lanka at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 8. This Test match signals the start of the 2007-08 international cricket season, with Wide World Of Sports broadcasting live and exclusive.

Fresh from victory in the recent one-day series in India, Ricky Ponting’s world champions will be keen to keep their winning streak rolling when they play Sri Lanka at the Gabba. The Aussies want to hammer mercurial Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who looks certain to beat Shane Warne’s world record of 708 Test match wickets. Trailing by just nine wickets, Murali is expected to break the record in this series.

This season Australia is in a rebuilding phase with fresh blood coming through the ranks since the retirement of Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn last season. New stars have already started to shine in the form of stylish batsman Michael Clarke, exciting fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, and the hard-hitting Andrew Symonds.

The Australians are in for a big summer, beginning with two Tests in the 3 Mobile series against Sri Lanka before playing four Tests against India. Australia then take on Sri Lanka and India in the Commonwealth Bank one-day international series.

Australia will also face New Zealand in the annual Trans-Tasman clash, playing three one-day internationals and endeavouring to reclaim the Commonwealth Bank Chappell Hadlee Trophy now held by the Black Caps.

In addition, Australia will play two KFC Twenty20 internationals, one against New Zealand and the other against India.

The doyens of cricket commentators, Richie Benaud and Bill Lawry will also celebrate 30 years with Nine’s on-air team this season. Joining them for the Wide World Of Sports coverage will be Tony Greig, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, Michael Slater and Mark Nicholas.

When play stops for lunch the momentum won’t stop on Nine. The Cricket Show spins into action every day during all six Test matches. Simon O’Donnell returns as host of the lunch-break show to keep fans up to date on domestic and international cricket news and scores.

O’Donnell will be joined by two of Australia’s greatest post-war players, Mark Taylor and Ian Healy, while former dashing Test opener, Michael Slater, will also rejoin the program.

NINE’S SUMMER OF CRICKET TELECAST TIMES

3 MOBILE TEST SERIES: AUSTRALIA v SRI LANKA

FIRST TEST November 8-12, 2007 Australia v Sri Lanka – Brisbane

SECOND TEST November 16-20, 2007 Australia v Sri Lanka – Hobart

3 MOBILE TEST SERIES: AUSTRALIA v INDIA

FIRST TEST December 26-30, 2007 Australia v India – Melbourne

SECOND TEST January 2-6, 2008 Australia v India – Sydney

THIRD TEST January 16-20, 2008 Australia v India – Perth

FOURTH TEST January 24-28, 2008, Australia v India – Adelaide

COMMONWEALTH BANK SERIES – ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL SERIES 2007-2008

February 3, 2008 Australia v India – Brisbane

February 5, 2008 Sri Lanka v India – Brisbane

February 8, 2008 Australia v Sri Lanka – Sydney

February 10, 2008 Australia v India – Melbourne

February 12, 2008 Sri Lanka v India – Canberra

February 15, 2008 Australia v Sri Lanka – Perth

February 17, 2008 Australia v India – Adelaide

February 19, 2008 Sri Lanka v India – Adelaide

February 22, 2008 Australia v Sri Lanka – Melbourne

February 24, 2008 Australia v India – Sydney

February 26, 2008 Sri Lanka v India – Hobart

February 29, 2008 Australia v Sri Lanka – Melbourne

March 2, 2008 FIRST FINAL – Sydney

March 4, 2008 SECOND FINAL – Brisbane

March 7, 2008 THIRD FINAL (if required) – Adelaide

COMMONWEALTH BANK CHAPPELL HADLEE TROPHY

December 14, 2007 Australia v New Zealand – Adelaide

December 16, 2007 Australia v New Zealand – Sydney

December 20, 2007 Australia v New Zealand – Hobart

KFC TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL

December 11, 2007 Australia v New Zealand – Perth

February 1, 2008 Australia v India – Melbourne