Australian PM's XI match on October 23rd

Brett Lee with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott

Melbourne, July 31 (IANS) Cricket Australia (CA) on Friday confirmed that the annual Prime Minister's XI match will take place on October 23 at Manuka Oval against New Zealand. The match will be New Zealand's first official match on Australian shores before the first Commonwealth Bank Test match in Brisbane beginning on November 5.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in a statement: "I'm delighted that the Prime Minister's XI will open the upcoming summer of international cricket.”

"I look forward to welcoming the New Zealand team to Canberra to add another chapter to the strong friendship between our two countries."

CA CEO James Sutherland said: "The Prime Minister's XI fixture has always been an important annual event on the Australian cricket calendar and we're pleased this year that it will open our international season.

"New Zealand is one of the most competitive teams on the international stage and that augers well for a great contest at what we hope will be another full house at Manuka Oval."

The Prime Ministers XI team will be selected by Cricket Australia's national selection panel with input from the Prime Minister, and will be announced closer to the match.

CA also announced that general tickets for the match will go on sale to the general public on August 21 through Ticketek.