For five days in June the Gloucester Cricket Festival will once again be held on The King's School Playing Fields in the traditional and picturesque setting of Archdeacon Meadow, alongside St Oswald's Road on the north side of the city.

The dates have been confirmed as 13th -17th with Durham being the first visitors for a four-day CricInfo Championship match from Wednesday until Saturday, followed by the Warwickshire Bears for a one-day Norwich Union League game on the Sunday.

As treble winners, Gloucestershire are sure to attract large crowds to this year's festival, especially for the match versus Warwickshire. Tickets for this game can be purchased from the club in advance at a special "early purchase" cost of £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s.

The festival will be sponsored by The Grantchester Group PLC, developers of St Oswald's Park, for the second year in succession and support will also come from Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire County Council.

"We are very fortunate to receive such sound backing for the Festival," said Mark Kirton, Commercial Manager at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, "and it is our hope that even more organisations and companies can be attracted to this splendid venue – not only to maintain the festival's congenial atmosphere but also to assist in providing an occasion which is financially worthwhile for the club itself.

"We wish to continue playing in Gloucester but we cannot do so without the commercial support which now seems to be a little more forthcoming than in previous years."

With the return of Ian Harvey to the side as overseas player this summer, the Gloucester public are guaranteed the highest quality cricket from some of the nation's most talented cricketers.

The CricInfo Championship match begins at 11am each day and the Norwich Union League game, which is a 45-over match, starts at 1pm.

Further information on tickets for the festival can be obtained from the club's headquarters in Bristol on 0117 910 8010 and corporate enquiries should be directed to the Cheltenham office on 01242 514420.

© GCCC