The Oval Invincibles and the Welsh Fire will open the batting on 17 July next year for The Hundred, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s controversial new competition that will dominate the sport in high summer.
The ECB’s domestic cricket revolution culminates a month later in a finals weekend at venues yet to be announced for the men’s and women’s titles on 14 and 15 August.
The full fixture list for all competitions in the 2020 season, revealed on Tuesday morning, highlights the dramatic upheaval the Hundred will have on the other long-standing competitions with only three rounds of the County Championship to be played between 25 May and 22 August and the latest scheduled finish for the season on 30 September.
Last season’s final championship winner-takes-all game at Taunton between the eventual champions Essex and Somerset, which took place a week before the scheduled 2020 climax, was disrupted by poor weather.
In addition, the clash between some Hundred and 50-over Royal London games means the format in which England became world champions for the first time this summer will play second fiddle to the ECB’s new cash cow. The Royal London Cup final will take place at Trent Bridge on 19 September, over a month after the semi-finals on 16 August.
Tom Moody, the Oval Invincibles men’s coach, said: “We are really excited to be hosting the opening game of The Hundred. This is the first season of the competition, so it’s an historic moment for the team and cricket. Taking on the Welsh Fire first will be an interesting challenge as they have some world-class players. I’m confident in the strength of our squad, it will be a thrilling opener.”
The following day Manchester Originals take on their northern rivals Northern Superchargers at Emirates Old Trafford.
The Hundred women’s competition begins on 22 July at Blackfinch New Road where Birmingham Phoenix host Manchester Originals. The following day Lord’s will host the first double header of the competition, with both the men’s and women’s Northern Superchargers heading down to the capital to take on London Spirit’s teams.
The first round of the County Championship kicks off on Easter Sunday with the Division Two champions Lancashire hosting Kent at Old Trafford. Gloucestershire, one of the other promoted sides, travel to Yorkshire, while last year’s runners up, Somerset, welcome Warwickshire. Nottinghamshire start life in Division Two at home to Leicestershire.
Essex kick off the defence of their crown the following week when they host Yorkshire on 19 April. A West Country red-ball rivalry is reborn on 1 May when Gloucestershire play Somerset in the championship for the first time in 13 years. All the first 12 rounds of the championship have play on at least one weekend day.