Twenty20 Cup signals major change to 2003 domestic First Class fixture list

November 13, 2002

The domestic First Class fixture list for the 2003 cricket season, announced today, sees the new `Twenty20 Cup' replacing the Benson & Hedges Cup in the calendar.

The Twenty20 Cup begins on Friday 13 June when five late-afternoon group matches are scheduled. One of these opening games will be broadcast live by Sky Sports.

All 45 group matches - the 18 First Class Counties are split into three groups of six teams each - will be played over a 12-day period, thus intentionally scheduling the competition around the longest days of the year. This means that matches starting at 5.30pm will finish in daylight at 8.15pm. Essex and Sussex may stage floodlit Twenty20 Cup matches in the group stages, and the timings for any such matches will be confirmed in due course.

All Counties are guaranteed a minimum of two Twenty20 Cup matches at home next season. The winners of each of the three groups and the best-performing runner-up will progress to a finals day on Saturday 19 July, at which both semi-finals and the final will be played.

Extensive media coverage of the competition is guaranteed. Sky Sports will broadcast a minimum of six group matches live as well as the three matches on finals day; Channel 4, meanwhile, will broadcast at least one match live (a Saturday morning slot on 14 June) and the highlights of the Final, plus prominent coverage of the competition in their weekly magazine programme.

BBC Radio are planning extensive coverage on their regional and local stations in addition to live ball-by-ball coverage of the Twenty20 Cup Final on Radio Five Live and both Twenty20 Cup semi-finals on Five Live Extra.

ECB Chief Exec Tim Lamb said: "I have no doubt that the Twenty20 Cup will make a significant impact on our domestic cricket next summer. Thanks to excellent support from our broadcast partners, we can already guarantee a great deal of media coverage for the tournament. And with generous prize money on offer, the players have every incentive to go flat out to achieve success on the pitch.

"This is one of the most revolutionary and exciting initiatives undertaken by the ECB and the First Class Counties for many years."

There are 365 matches, or 795 days of cricket in total, scheduled for First Class Counties across four different competitions next season. The Frizzell County Championship season starts on Friday 18 April, the 45 over League competition (sponsor to be confirmed) begins on Sunday 27 April, while the third round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy takes place on Wednesday 7 May.

The women's domestic season, meanwhile, will include the Super Fours trophy, now in its second year. The 48 best women's cricketers in the country will be divided into four teams and will compete against each other in six one-day matches ahead of the international season.

Super Fours will run each weekend from Saturday 17th May to Sunday 15th June.

Yorkshire, meanwhile, will aim to retain their title at the Frizzell Women's County Championship which will run from Saturday 26th - Wednesday 30th July at University Grounds, Cambridge.