From the England and Wales Cricket Board
The ECB today announced the fixtures for the 2010 County Cricket season which begins on Saturday, April 3 and culminates in the new ECB 40 League Final on Saturday, September 18, in what promises to be an enthralling season of cricket.
The first round of LV= County Championship matches start on Friday, April 9, with the last round scheduled to commence on Monday, September 13.
The new 40-over competition – the ECB 40 League – begins on Sunday, April 25 with 18 of the 21 competing teams playing on the opening day. Teams have been drawn into three deregionalised groups with Scotland, the Netherlands and an ECB Recreational XI competing alongside the 18 First Class Counties. The final on Saturday, September 18, will be played at Lord’s under floodlights.
The domestic Twenty20 competition, The Friends Provident T20, involves the 18 First Class Counties divided into two geographical groups. The competition begins on Tuesday, June 1, with a rematch of the 2009 Twenty20 final when Sussex take on Somerset at Hove. Finals Day will be at The Rose Bowl on Saturday, August 14.
There will also be over 80 days of international cricket throughout the season with Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India A, New Zealand A, New Zealand women and Australia U19s all touring, beginning in May when Bangladesh take on England Lions in Derby and ending on Wednesday, September 22 when England face Pakistan in the final ODI of the five-match NatWest Series.
England Lions will also play in a triangular one-day series against New Zealand A and India A and there will be opportunities to see England’s women when they face New Zealand women in a NatWest Twenty20 Series and a NatWest ODI Series.
The fixture list is now available to download from www.ecb.co.uk/fixtures2010
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