2016 County cricket fixtures
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Adam Lyth pops a bottle of champagne as Yorkshire celebrate becoming LV County Champions following the LV County Championship match between Middlesex and Yorkshire at Lord's Cricket Ground on September 12, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Sarah Ansell/Getty Images)
THE countdown to summer is well and truly underway with the release of the domestic fixtures for 2016.
Yorkshire will be looking to win the County Championship for the third successive time and start the season on March 20 when they travel to Abu Dhabi to face the MCC.
The season gets underway on April 10, although the White Rose’s first match isn’t until the week after as they host Hampshire. Lancashire are also without a game in the first week.
The first round will see 2008, 2009 and 2013 champions Durham play Somerset with Hampshire taking on Warwickshire. Surrey will travel to Trent Bridge to take on Nottinghamshire.
In Division Two, relegated Worcestershire host Kent with Sussex, who also went down, making the trip to Northamptonshire. The other match in the second tier sees Essex, who will begin the season under a new head coach following Paul Grayson’s departure, play Gloucestershire at Chelmsford.
While the format remains the same, there is one major change with the mandatory coin toss scrapped. Instead, the away captain has the option to bowl first. If he declines, then the toss will take place as normal.
Fans of the shorter format will need to wait until May 20 for the t20 Blast to begin, with the One-Day Cup beginning a couple of weeks later on June 5.
Click the links below for fixtures
County Championship Division One fixtures
County Championship Division Two fixtures