T20 Gold Clash brings Australian sporting legends to Channel 7 and 7plus – Cricket greats and football champions will swap codes when the inaugural T20 Gold Clash airs live and free from Cairns on Sunday, 22 November.
Team Footy will face Team Cricket at Cazalys Stadium, with Channel 7 and 7plus coverage beginning at 7pm. The line-up crosses the AFL, NRL, cricket and tennis, bringing Dustin Martin, Brian Lara, Ash Barty, Johnathan Thurston and other major names into the same contest.
For viewers, the event adds a one-night cross-code attraction to Channel 7’s summer cricket schedule. It also gives fans outside Cairns a free national broadcast while the sporting legends compete in a format inspired by New Zealand’s successful T20 Black Clash.
Team Footy faces Team Cricket in Cairns
The T20 Gold Clash is designed as a competitive exhibition rather than a conventional international fixture. Both sides include athletes who built their careers in other codes, as well as wildcard players with high-level cricket experience.
Team Footy will be coached by former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming. Its squad includes AFL premiership players, NRL champions and two cricket wildcards. Brad Hodge and Tim Southee will strengthen the football side, while the remaining players will test how well their sporting instincts transfer to the cricket field.
Team Cricket has assembled a group of Australian and international greats. Brian Lara joins Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and Usman Khawaja. Ash Barty and Gary Ablett Jr provide the team’s wildcard selections.
The unusual line-ups create the central question for the night. Team Cricket has the specialist experience, but Team Footy’s elite athletes will have Fleming and two established cricketers helping them prepare.
Complete T20 Gold Clash teams
Team Footy
- Brad Hodge (wildcard)
- Dale Thomas
- Dustin Martin
- Isaac Smith
- Joel Selwood
- Johnathan Thurston
- Kate McCarthy
- Lindsay Smith
- Marc Murphy
- Nick Riewoldt
- Sam Burgess
- Tim Southee (wildcard)
- Stephen Fleming (coach)
Team Cricket
- Adam Gilchrist
- Ash Barty (wildcard)
- Brian Lara
- Callum Ferguson
- Dan Christian
- Darren Lehmann
- Gary Ablett Jr (wildcard)
- James Pattinson
- Matthew Hayden
- Michael Hussey
- Michael Kasprowicz
- Usman Khawaja
Nick Riewoldt returns to cricket
Nick Riewoldt said cricket had been a significant part of his sporting life before he committed to an AFL career.
Growing up I played plenty of both cricket and AFL and I only gave up cricket the year I was drafted to St Kilda.
The T20 Gold Clash concept is exciting, and I have no doubt it’s going to be lots of fun playing with Team Footy and taking on Team Cricket. Hopefully I don’t forget how to bat and can score some runs and take a wicket or two, but one thing is for sure – viewers watching at home will be entertained.
Nick Riewoldt
His return is one example of the event’s crossover appeal. Several Team Footy players have cricket backgrounds, while the wildcard format gives each side an unexpected selection. Barty’s place is especially notable because she represented Brisbane Heat during the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League season before returning to tennis.
Emma Freedman hosts Channel 7 coverage
Emma Freedman will host the T20 Gold Clash broadcast. James Brayshaw and Greg Blewett will call the match, with sporting legends rotating through the commentary box during the night.
Seven Network Head of Cricket Anna Stone said the network was pleased to bring the inaugural event to a national audience. She described the Gold Clash as the kind of large-scale sporting event Seven and 7plus wanted to deliver. Stone also highlighted the energy and cricket knowledge Brayshaw and Blewett would bring to the call.
The coverage arrives as Channel 7’s broader 2026–27 cricket season gathers pace. Seven and 7plus are also carrying selected WBBL and BBL matches, Australia’s Test series against New Zealand and the 150th Anniversary Test against England.
How to watch the T20 Gold Clash
The inaugural T20 Gold Clash will be played at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns on Sunday, 22 November 2026. Gates open at 4pm for spectators attending the event.
Channel 7 and 7plus coverage begins at 7pm AEDT. The match will be available live and free, giving viewers around Australia access through broadcast television and streaming.
T20 Gold Clash – Sunday, 22 November from 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.
For more TV Central Channel 7 cricket coverage, read the complete Channel 7 Summer of Cricket schedule. Event details and tickets are available from the official T20 Gold Clash website.