Getting fixed up

posted by John Winn

What a pleasant surprise to switch on the laptop yesterday and find a well considered response to an emotive topic from a new blogger. Thank you Steve.

Even though for very good reason the publication of the next year's fixtures was delayed by 24 hours pcws have had the weekend to start planning next season's cricket watching. Yorkshire supporters may feel a little disappointed that the champions start with two away games, but New Road and Trent Bridge number among many people's favourite grounds and I suspect that hoteliers and guest house keepers in Worcester have already had  enquiries about vacancies for the week beginning April 12th. For those of the white rose persuasion who do not travel, then they must wait until the 26th when the Bears come to Headingley, an appetising prospect.

Even with my dual nationality and unless I am prepared to travel, I will need to exercise some patience, for like Yorkshire, Durham are not at home until the end of April when Sussex will be at The Riverside and their supporters will be huddled in the long room for warmth. This match of course clashes with Yorkshire's Headingley opener, the first of four such occasions when the two counties are at home at the same time, disappointing for there was only one such clash last year. Championship cricket at The Riverside is rather top and bottom loaded for after the visit of Notts in early May there are only three  games in 14 weeks  before things finish in a hurry with three out of the last four games at home beginning with Middlesex on August 21st.

Only one of my 'must see' matches is on the menu this season, Derbyshire v Lancashire, their first championship meeting since 2005 and lo and behold who should be the first visitors to the County Ground but Lancashire on Sunday April 19th, an early opportunity to tick this fixture off. And should circumstances prevent me making the journey the reverse fixture has the added bonus of being played at Southport, a ground I have never visited.

Plenty to get excited about then, and with just three weeks to go before the sun starts its return journey from the southern hemisphere it will not be too long before  'this season' means 2015. Roll on.