The opening round of the season on October 6 will be one-day fixtures, with the Dragons’ clash with last summer’s semi-finalist Bendigo at North Bendigo the match of the round.

The Dragons and Bendigo meet again seven days later in round two when the first two-day matches will be played.

With a heavy commitment to representative cricket in Bendigo in January, the BDCA has stacked the front half of the draw.

Eight of the 13 rounds will be played before the Christmas break – three of those eight rounds will be one-day matches.

The eighth round will be played on December 22, with the competition not resuming until January 12.

“We have a hectic period of cricket in January, so the BDCA draw has been designed to give the clubs and curators the best possible chance to prepare,’’ BDCA president Wayne Walsh said.

“In the first week of January we have junior Country Week, the second week of January we have the national female under-18 championships and in the third week of January we have Bendigo Country Week.

“The wear and tear on wickets in January makes it hard for curators, so we wanted to get as much BDCA cricket played before Christmas as we could.”

The Twenty20 fixture is yet to be released and the league will add the one-day final to the schedule at a later date.

“The date of the one-day final is still to be decided,’’ Walsh said.

“We have a couple of options in mind, but we’re waiting to see dates for Melbourne Country Week.

“The one-day final will be played on a Sunday.”

Strathdale-Maristians appear to have the toughest draw.

The Suns play Sandhurst, Golden Square, Eaglehawk and expected big improvers Huntly-North Epsom twice.

Bendigo, Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat look best served by the draw. The Goers, Dogs and Roos play one semi-finalist from last year twice.

Round 1 - October 6

Bendigo v Sandhurst

Bendigo United v White Hills

Eaglehawk v Strathdale Maristians

Huntly-North Epsom v Golden Square

Kangaroo Flat v Strathfieldsaye

Round 2 - October 13-20

Strathfieldsaye v Huntly-North Epsom

Sandhurst v Bendigo

Kangaroo Flat v Bendigo United

Strathdale-Maristians v Golden Square

White Hills v Eaglehawk

Round 3 - October 27-November 3

Bendigo United v White Hills

Huntly-North Epsom v Bendigo

Eaglehawk v Strathdale-Maristians

Golden Square v Strathfieldsaye

Sandhurst v Kangaroo Flat

Round 4 - November 10-November 17

Strathfieldsaye v Eaglehawk

Golden Square v Huntly-North Epsom

Kangaroo Flat v Bendigo

Strathdale-Maristians v Bendigo United

White Hills v Sandhurst

Round 5 - November 24-25

Bendigo United v Strathfieldsaye

Huntly-North Epsom v Kangaroo Flat

Bendigo v White Hills

Golden Square v Eaglehawk

Sandhurst v Strathdale-Maristians

Round 6 - December 1-8

Strathfieldsaye v Sandhurst

Bendigo United v Golden Square

Eaglehawk v Huntly-North Epsom

Strathdale-Maristians v Bendigo

White Hills v Kangaroo Flat

Round 7 - December 15

Bendigo United v Sandhurst

Golden Square v Strathdale-Maristians

Huntly-North Epsom v Kangaroo Flat

Strathfieldsaye v Bendigo

White Hills v Eaglehawk

Round 8 - December 22

Bendigo v White Hills

Bendigo United v Golden Square

Huntly-North Epsom v Strathfieldsaye

Kangaroo Flat v Eaglehawk

Sandhurst v Strathdale-Maristians

Round 9 - January 12

Eaglehawk v Bendigo

Kangaroo Flat v Golden Square

Strathdale-Maristians v Huntly-North Epsom

Strathfieldsaye v Bendigo United

White Hills v Sandhurst

Round 10 - January 19-26

Huntly-North Epsom v White Hills

Bendigo v Strathfieldsaye

Eaglehawk v Bendigo United

Golden Square v Sandhurst

Kangaroo Flat v Strathdale-Maristians

Round 11 - February 2-9

Sandhurst v Bendigo United

Strathdale-Maristians v Huntly-North Epsom

Eaglehawk v Bendigo

Golden Square v Kangaroo Flat

White Hills v Strathfieldsaye

Round 12 - February 16-23

Strathfieldsaye v Strathdale-Maristians

Bendigo v Bendigo United

Kangaroo Flat v Eaglehawk

Sandhurst v Huntly-North Epsom

White Hills v Golden Square

Round 13 - March 2-9

Strathfieldsaye v Kangaroo Flat

Bendigo United v Huntly-North Epsom

Bendigo v Golden Square

Eaglehawk v Sandhurst

Strathdale-Maristians v White Hills

Semi-finals - March 16-17

Final - March 23-24