Championship fixtures out for Bears & Pears

Uncertainty remains at what restrictions will be in place amid the coronavirus pandemic, all counties have been initially split into three seeded conferences of six, playing each side within their group home and away.

The opening nine rounds are scheduled to take place on consecutive weeks, with Thursday starts and Sunday finishes, and is set to conclude in July before groups are sorted into three performance-related divisions.

After another four matches, with the opening round scheduled to begin on August 30 – a Bank Holiday Monday – the table-toppers of Division One will be crowned county champions.

They will then play the runners-up in a showpiece Lord’s final for the Bob Willis Trophy, starting on September 27. If that fixture lasts all five days then the first-class season is scheduled to finish on October 1.

“We’re all looking forward to the return of the County Championship in 2021 after a very challenging year in 2020,” said Neil Snowball, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s managing director for county cricket. “We have seen an innovative and collaborative approach between the ECB and the 18 first-class counties that has enabled us to plan for 2021 with a new, County Championship structure for 2021 only, that is designed to be both exciting for players and supporters and also flexible to the possible ongoing impact of Covid-19. We are also working hard with all 18 first-class counties to ensure that we are able to welcome the return of crowds safely next year and will continue to work closely with Government and all relevant authorities.”

Worcestershire Cricket Steering Group chairman Paul Pridgeon added: “We played some very good red-ball cricket in 2020, which was a huge improvement on the year before. We want to keep improving. The batting came on leaps and bounds, putting big totals on the board with all the top order batters doing well.

“There were some very encouraging signs and, with the addition of Gareth Roderick in the top-order, that is going to help, and we are quite optimistic.

“It is always a challenge when you go to a new club and whatever their track record, you’ve got to establish yourself. Gareth will be itching to do that.

“The players will relish the challenge of playing Essex in the first game. You can’t dispute how well they’ve done, but we will want to show what we are capable of.”

Warwickshire

April

8 Derbyshire (h)

15 Nottinghamshire (a)

22 Essex (h)

29 Durham (a)

May

6 Worcestershire (h)

20 Essex (a)

27 Nottinghamshire (h)

June

3 Derbyshire (a)

July

4 Warwickshire (h)

11 Worcestershire (a)

Worcestershire

April

8 Essex (a)

15 Derbyshire (a)

22 Nottinghamshire (h)

29 Essex (h)

May

6 Warwickshire (a)

13 Durham (a)

20 Nottinghamshire (a)

27 Derbyshire (h)

June

3 Durham (h)

July

11 Warwickshire (h)