SEE LIVE IMAGES OF THE SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND AS THEY PREPARE FOR BASEBALL!
Baseball Australia announced today in Sydney the first set of players that will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at the SCG in March. The Team Australia Challenge on March 20 & March 21 will feature Team Australia against Major League Baseball’s franchises -- the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks
Justin Huber (Melbourne Aces), Brad Thomas, Luke Hughes (Perth Heat), Brad Harman (Melbourne Aces), Stefan Welch (Adelaide Bite) and Tim Kennelly (Perth Heat) are the first players selected to play for the Team Australia squad.
Headed up by Manager Jon Deeble, Australia will compete against Major League Baseball’s (MLB) National League powerhouses, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks, in a two-game series on Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Tickets for this groundbreaking event are on sale now through ticketek.com from just $31 (+booking fee).
The squad has more than eighteen seasons of MLB experience on their roster, and Jon Deeble and team are planning to make history by defeating the 2013 National League West Champion Dodgers and their division rivals, the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2014 Team Australia Challenge.
“I am pleased to manage Team Australia in this unique opportunity where my players can showcase their talents to a global audience. Our squad has a solid mixture of experience and youth under their belts, and we are excited to have a chance to compete against two of Major League Baseball’s best franchises,” Deeble said.
The Sydney Cricket Ground will be transformed into a Major League Baseball field with the construction of an infield clay area, a pitcher’s mound, and dugouts for the players and coaches to commence in March. Team Australia will first play the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, March 20, followed by their final game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, March 21.
On Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23, the Sydney Cricket Ground will host the 2014 Opening Series Games between the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks. The event marks the first Major League Baseball Opening Series ever to be staged in Australia.
THURSDAY MARCH 20
TEAM AUSTRALIA V LOS ANGELES DODGERS 7:30PM SCG
FRIDAY MARCH 21
TEAM AUSTRALIA V ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS 7:30PM SCG
TICKETS ON SALE NOW THROUGH ticketek.com.
The Australian Baseball League Championship Series this weekend in Perth will be the last opportunity for fans to watch Team Australia squad members Luke Hughes and Tim Kennelly before the Team Australia Challenge. Go to TheABL.com.au for full details.