An Australia A side played Twenty20 in January

Cricket Australia staged two games this season, and was convinced to stage a state competition in January.

"The Australian public has told us they love Twenty20 and we want to offer fans in each state a chance to see it," said CA chief executive James Sutherland.

Australia are also scheduled to play three Tests against West Indies and three against South Africa.

We believe it is possible that players might learn skills that might transfer to the ODI arena James Sutherland CA chief executive

This year's tourists, Pakistan, took part in a Twenty20 match against Australia A in January, attracting 21,254 fans to the Adelaide Oval.

"We were particularly interested to see new, first-time spectators in Perth, Adelaide and Hobart, including young people, families and girls and women," Sutherland added.

"We also believe it is possible that players might learn skills that might transfer to the ODI arena in the same way that skills learned in 50-over cricket have transferred to longer forms of the game."

Twenty20 cricket, which involves batsmen sitting on the boundary edge waiting to go in and bowlers given reduced time, was first launched in county cricket in 2002.

It has since taken off domestically in South Africa and in women's cricket, where the first international involved England and New Zealand last year.

Australia's senior team will get their first taste of the shortened format in June, when they tour England.

CA's board also approved some changes to its international programme next season with the final schedule to be released later this month.

One of the West Indies Tests will be played in Hobart, the first time in five years Tasmania has staged a test, while Perth will stage one of the South Africa matches.

The triangular one-day series will remain intact but Melbourne will not host one of the three finals because they host the series against a World XI in October.

Australia will also host the World XI in a six-day Test in Sydney.