Kent to start season at Easter

Cricket

Kent will start and finish their 2020 Specsavers County Championship Division 1 campaign against Lancashire, one of last season’s promoted clubs.

The county, who are celebrating their 150th anniversary in 2020, will travel to Old Trafford on Easter Sunday, April 12, with the return at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, starting on Tuesday, September 22. Kent, fourth last season, will play three championship fixtures in April with their opening home game, against Gloucestershire – another promoted side – on Saturday, April 25.

There will be four more championship fixtures in May and just two in June – due to the Vitality Blast T20 competition.

The Spitfires will launch their campaign in that tournament against Sussex Sharks at Hove on Thursday, May 28.

Their first home game is against Surrey, at Canterbury the following day from 7pm. Kent will also face Essex, Hampshire, Middlesex, Gloucestershire, Glamorgan and Somerset in the South Group.

The Royal London Cup has been re-structured, and Kent are in Group A alongside Essex, Worcestershire, Sussex, Middlesex, Durham, Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Lancashire.

They open their schedule against Essex Eagles at Chelmsford on Sunday, July 19.

Kent will also travel to Copdock near

Ipswich to face Suffolk on July 17 in a one-day National County match, the first time the counties have met competitively since 1966.

The 169th Canterbury Cricket Week will feature two matches against Somerset. The teams meet in the championship, starting on Sunday, June 28, with a Vitality Blast tie on Friday, July 3.

There is no championship game at Tunbridge Wells in 2020, but the Nevill will stage three Royal London Cup matches, against Hampshire (Sunday, July 26), Gloucestershire (Wednesday, July 29) and Durham (Friday, July 31).

The inaugural Hundred competition will be staged from mid-July to early September with Kent representation in both the Oval Invincibles and the London Spirit squads.