ECB publishes 2010 county fixture list
The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced the fixtures for the 2010 county season due to begin on Saturday April 3 and to end with the new ECB 40 League final on Saturday September 18.
It says that its controversial new 40-over competition, which some fear may damage England’s chances in 50-over ODIs by depriving players of the relevant experience, begins on Sunday April 25 with 18 of the 21 competing teams playing on the opening day.
Teams are organised into three groups which are not based on their geographical locations 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.
In contrast the Friends Provident T20 competition is based on the counties being divided into two geographical groups. It begins on Tuesday June 1 with the 2009 Twenty20 finalists Sussex and Somerset meeting at Hove. Finals day will be at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, August 14.
The board says thqat there will also be more than 80 days of international cricket throughout the season with Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India A, New Zealand A, New Zealand women, and Australia Under-19s all touring.
The international matches will kick off in May with Bangladesh taking on England Lions in Derby and end on Wednesday September 22 with England facing Pakistan in the final ODI of the five-match NatWest Series.
England Lions will 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 the NatWest Twenty20 Series and a NatWest ODI Series.
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