2020 fixture list revealed
Lancashire to open County Championship campaign against Kent at Emirates Old Trafford on Easter Sunday (12 April).
For the first time since 2002, Lancashire will play all seven home County Championship fixtures at Emirates Old Trafford.
Liverpool CC to host Vitality Blast opener against Northants Steelbacks at the end of May.
Sedbergh School will host a National Counties 50 over warm-up fixture between Lancashire against Cumberland as well as Lancashire’s Royal London Cup game against Middlesex in July.
Lancashire return to Blackpool CC for a Royal London Cup fixture against Worcestershire.
Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce its domestic fixture list for the 2020 season.
The Red Rose will begin the new season with a three-day fixture against Durham MCCU at Emirates Old Trafford on Tuesday 7 April. A week later, Glen Chapple’s side will commence the County Championship campaign, back in Division One following last year’s promotion, with a home fixture against Kent at Emirates Old Trafford, starting on Sunday 12 April.
Lancashire will start the season with six rounds of the County Championship, of which all matches include cricket being played at the weekend, before the Vitality Blast starts at the end of May.
Liverpool CC will host the Club’s opening Vitality Blast fixture against Northants Steelbacks on Friday 29 May, as The Killers concert will be taking place at Emirates Old Trafford one day later. Liverpool CC successfully hosted a sold-out T20 fixture two years ago with Leicestershire Foxes the visitors when Emirates Old Trafford was used for the One Love Manchester concert.
Paul Allott, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, said: “We’re delighted with the way the fixture list has worked out and our thanks must go to the ECB for their cooperation, as well as the three outgrounds which we will be using next summer.
“It’s great news to have all seven of our home County Championship fixtures at Emirates Old Trafford which is the first time that has happened in 17 years. Furthermore, we’re really happy with the increased amount of First-Class cricket being played across weekends, as we know how important that is to our Members.”
Three out of four of Lancashire’s Royal London Cup fixtures, which this year is not regionalised as per previous seasons, will be played at outgrounds in 2020, due to the ECB’s Hundred competition being played at the same time. The first game of the competition starts against Middlesex at Sedbergh School, before a trip to South Northumberland against Durham the week later. Blackpool CC and Liverpool CC will both host home fixtures against Worcestershire and Essex respectively, whilst there will also be trips to Canterbury, Bristol and the Isle of Wight.
Sedbergh School will host also the inaugural National Counties fixture between Cumberland and Lancashire on Friday 17 July as a warm-up to Lancashire’s Royal London Cup campaign, which will then see Middlesex visit Sedbergh on Sunday 19 July. There will also be a Women’s Hundred fixture the following Friday (24 July) as the Manchester Originals take on the Oval Invincibles making it a festival of cricket with three games within a week.
Allott added: “We are very much looking forward to our Royal London Cup fixtures at Blackpool, Liverpool and Sedbergh School next year. The Club has worked closely with staff and officials at Stanley Park over the last year, particularly in relation to the drainage issues there in recent times, whilst Liverpool very successfully hosted last year’s First-Class fixture against Leicestershire. Sedbergh School’s hosting of the four-day fixture against Durham last year has encouraged the county to return for a 50 over game in 2020.
“Whilst there is not a fixture at Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club next year, Lancashire Cricket has a very good relationship with those at Trafalgar Road and remain committed to working closely together. As part of that, the Club’s ground staff team will provide support with the aim of getting Southport back on the rota, possibly as early as the 2021 season.”
The Club’s final home County Championship fixture will be against Gloucestershire on Monday 14 September, but it is the trip to Canterbury on Tuesday 22 September that will bring the curtain down on the 2020 domestic season for the Red Rose.
Tickets for Lancashire’s Vitality Blast clash against Yorkshire Vikings, which is played at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday 10 July, go on sale next Friday (6 Dec) with all other fixtures going on sale in March.
County Championship fixtures
Sun 12 – 15 April - Lancashire vs Kent – Emirates Old Trafford Sun 19 – 23 April - Gloucestershire vs Lancashire – The Brightside Ground Sat 25 – 28 April - Warwickshire vs Lancashire - Edgbaston Fri 1 – 4 May - Lancashire vs Essex – Emirates Old Trafford Fri 15 – 18 May - Lancashire vs Somerset – Emirates Old Trafford Fri 22 – 25 May - Hampshire vs Lancashire – Ageas Bowl Sun 14 – 17 June - Yorkshire vs Lancashire – Scarborough Sun 28 June – 1 July - Lancashire vs Warwickshire – Emirates Old Trafford Sun 5 – 8 July - Northamptonshire vs Lancashire – County Ground, Northampton Sun 23 - 26 August - Lancashire vs Surrey – Emirates Old Trafford Sat 29 August – 2 Sept - Essex vs Lancashire - The Cloudfm County Ground Tues 8 – 11 September – Lancashire vs Yorkshire – Emirates Old Trafford Mon 14 – 17 September – Lancashire vs Gloucestershire – Emirates Old Trafford Tues 22 – 25 September – Kent vs Lancashire – Canterbury
Royal London Cup fixtures
Sun 19 July – Lancashire vs Middlesex – Sedbergh School Fri 24 July – Durham vs Lancashire – South Northumberland Sun 26 July – Gloucestershire vs Lancashire – The Brightside Ground Wed 29 July – Lancashire vs Worcestershire – Blackpool Cricket Club Sun 2 August – Lancashire vs Sussex – Emirates Old Trafford Tues 4 August – Lancashire vs Essex – Liverpool Cricket Club Thurs 6 August – Kent vs Lancashire – Canterbury Sun 9 August – Hampshire vs Lancashire – Newclose, Isle of Wight
Vitality Blast fixtures
Fri 29 May – Lancashire Lightning vs Northants Steelbacks – Liverpool Cricket Club Sun 31 May – Derbyshire Falcons vs Lancashire Lightning – Pattonair County Ground Thurs 4 June – Yorkshire Vikings vs Lancashire Lightning – Emerald Headingley Fri 5 June – Birmingham Bears vs Lancashire Lightning – Edgbaston Sun 7 June – Lancashire Lightning vs Durham – Emirates Old Trafford Weds 10 June – Lancashire Lightning vs Leicestershire Foxes - Emirates Old Trafford Fri 12 June – Lancashire Lightning vs Derbyshire Falcons – Emirates Old Trafford Sun 21 June – Lancashire Lightning vs Notts Outlaws – Emirates Old Trafford Weds 24 June – Northants Steelbacks vs Lancashire Lightning – County Ground Fri 26 June – Durham vs Lancashire – Emirates Riverside Thurs 2 July – Lancashire vs Worcestershire Rapids – Emirates Old Trafford Fri 3 July – Notts Outlaws vs Lancashire Lightning – Trent Bridge Fri 10 July – Lancashire Lightning vs Yorkshire Vikings – Emirates Old Trafford Sun 12 July – Worcestershire Rapids vs Lancashire Lightning, Blackfinch New Road