County reveal opponents for two friendly clashes
STAFFORDSHIRE County Cricket Club have announced two pre-season friendlies - and also revealed the fixture programme for their development sides.
Staffs’ senior team will face a double-header weekend on April 9 and 10 as they prepare for their National Counties Cricket Association Twenty20 Cup campaign.
Staffordshire will take on Longton at their home ground on the Saturday in two T20 matches.
And the following day, Dave Cartledge’s men will be back at Ripon Road to play the North Staffs and South Cheshire League representative team in two more short-format contests. Both days at Longton will start at 11am, which will allow Staffs to put the finishing touches to their preparations for the NCCA T20 Cup, which starts on Sunday, April 17 against Northumberland at Porthill Park.
Staffs have also announced fixtures for their two development teams for this summer.
Staffordshire have added an under-21 team into the mix this year to add another step on the pathway to the senior development side and then the first XI.
The under-21s will make their bow against their Shropshire counterparts at Wrekin College in a 50-over fixture on Sunday, May 15.
They then entertain Herefordshire - at a venue to be confirmed - on Wednesday, June 15, before hosting Derbyshire Academy in another 50-over clash on Wednesday, July 20.
Their final confirmed fixture is on Tuesday, August 9 when they head to Kidderminster for a 50-over game against Worcestershire Academy.
The senior development XI visit Cumbria on Thursday, June 2 and then play Cumbria and Cheshire in Twenty20 encounters at Warrington on Tuesday, June 28.
They host Northumberland in a 50-over match on Thursday, August 4.
A two-day fixture against Cheshire, at Weston, has been inked in for Tuesday and Wednesday June 21 and 22, while a home one-day game against the same opposition is also in the pipeline. Two matches - one at home and one away - against Wales are being discussed as well to provide as much cricket as possible for the next generation of Staffordshire cricketers.
STAFFORDSHIRE FIRSTTEAM PRE-SEASON
FRIENDLIES Saturday, April 9: Longton (Longton) - 2xt20s (11am)
Sunday, April 10: NSSCL XI (Longton) - 2xt20s
(11am)
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT XI Thursday, June 2:
Cumbria (away) - 50-over (11am)
Tuesday/wednesday, June 21&22: Cheshire (Weston) - two-day game (11am)
Tuesday, June 28: Cheshire & Cumbria (Warrington) - 2xt20s 11am
Thursday, August 4: Northumberland (home) 50-over (11am)
TBC: Cheshire (home 50-over), plus two games v Wales.
UNDER-21S Sunday, May 15:
Shropshire (Wrekin College) - 50-over (11am)
Wednesday, June 15:
Herefordshire (home) - 50over (11am)
Wednesday, July 20:
Derbyshire Academy (home) - 50-over (11am)
Tuesday, August 9:
Worcestershire Academy (Kidderminster) - 50-over (11am)