Derbyshire CCC to start ‘special’ 2020 season at home

The four-day County Championship campaign signals the start of the cricket season once again with county neighbours Leicestershire visiting on Sunday 19th April.

Following trips to Lord’s and Trent Bridge, Billy Godleman’s side return to Derby for home matches against Durham and Sussex, two sides against which they tasted victory in 2019.

Fixtures for the Vitality Blast and Royal London Cup were also released, with the club confirming there will be more weekend cricket spanning all three domestic competitions next summer.

In total, Derbyshire will play 17 days of home weekend and Bank Holiday cricket in 2020, with all but one home County Championship match spanning a weekend.

Derbyshire CEO Ryan Duckett said: “We are very pleased to be playing more weekend cricket in 2020, allowing more people to support Derbyshire across all formats. Next year promises to be a special occasion for members, supporters and everyone associated with Derbyshire as we celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary.”

The Vitality Blast begins earlier next summer, as The Falcons get underway in the North Group on Friday 29th May, at home to Leicestershire Foxes.

The clash is the first of seven home group stage fixtures, all given prime evening and weekend slots as Derbyshire aim to build on last year’s Finals Day appearance.

After record crowds supported The Falcons in 2019, including back-to-back home sell-outs against local rivals Yorkshire Vikings and Notts Outlaws, both fixtures again come at the height of the competition.

The East Midlands rivalry will be reignited on Friday 5th June under the lights at Derby, before Derbyshire host Yorkshire Vikings at Queen’s Park, in Chesterfield, on Saturday 20th June.

The fixture against Yorkshire sold out in advance for a third-straight summer in 2019, while the local derby against near-neighbours Notts achieved a record crowd and the first sell-out between the sides since 2013.

Prior to the visit of the Vikings, Derbyshire face Worcestershire in a County Championship match at the picturesque Queen’s Park to begin the week-long Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council.

For the first time since 2015, Derbyshire will face southern counties in the newly-structured Royal London Cup, with Glamorgan and Surrey joining Yorkshire and Warwickshire in travelling to Derbyshire.

The List A visit by Yorkshire will be the sixth day of cricket in Chesterfield next summer, while Surrey arrive at The Pattonair County Ground on Sunday 9th May.