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County Cricket Fixtures Release 2017

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 5:08 pm
by Alviro Patterson
Hearing from various sources within the county game, Natwest T20 Blast fixtures are to be released 7pm this Thursday, with the County Championship/Royal London Cup at midnight.

It is also rumoured that the County Championship fixtures will regularly start on Friday's, though I can't find anything concrete at present.

Re: County Cricket Fixtures Release 2017

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 7:05 pm
by Making_Splinters
Why midnight?

Why not a normal, working hour.

Re: County Cricket Fixtures Release 2017

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 7:06 pm
by Aidan11
Making_Splinters wrote:Why midnight?

Why not a normal, working hour.



Press embargo until then.

Re: County Cricket Fixtures Release 2017

PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:19 pm
by Alviro Patterson
Very disappointed in how the way fixtures are scheduled next year, the calendar looks a complete mess despite changes to the County Championship format so schedling can be improved.

Royal London One Day Cup group matches played in a 3 week block from late April to mid-May, for example Yorkshire play their 1st 5 matches in 10 days allowing very little time for post-match recovery. There might be a case of players getting as much game time as possible before the Champions Trophy Squads are released, good for identifying batsmen but pace bowlers are getting flogged. Also the RLODC Quarter and Semi Final stages are spaced out in 3 days and scheduled during the ICC Champions Trophy, which means England players won't be available unless if England are out of the Champions Trophy.

The Natwest T20 Blast allows little preparation for players as most counties play their 1st game 24hrs after Day 4 of a County match, in Yorkshire's case their 1st 4 games are played in 8 days. The Quarter Final round is scheduled either side of the West Indies test series, again England players are unable to play in that round.

Also there is little domestic cricket during Spring Bank Holiday weekend. So much for counties are being told to be financially self-sufficient when their grounds are shut at a time when spectators are more likely to attend.