As the 2020 season fast approaches the fixtures at nearly all levels are now available. The full set of county second eleven fixtures appeared on Cricket Archive a few weeks ago and are now available in the new County Second XI annual just published by the Association of Cricket Statisticians.
This invaluable publication not only has a full list of all Second XI fixtures in a tidy format of all matches under one heading, but an extremely useful who's who of all players who appeared in county second elevens last season. The new format, courtesy of the Hundred, is restricted to four day championship fixtures plus endless T20 games, with a few 50 over friendlies thrown in. No room now for the popular second XI Trophy one day competition. The player of the year for 2019 on the front cover is Liam Patterson-White who did well as an all rounder for Notts last season. Unfortunately like most Notts seconds' players he is unlikely to get a first team spot due to the number of imports from elsewhere.
As usual for cricket lovers like myself, who prefer the peace and quiet of cricket at the majority of second eleven and Minor Counties grounds, this publication is a mouth watering list of places one would wish to visit or re-visit. For instance the first round of championship matches includes Sussex 2nd XI v Durham 2nd XI at the wonderful Preston Nomads ground, Fulking close by the Sussex Downs. However, not only is it a long way to travel from the north of England but the start date of 13th April suggests that the weather might not be the best for sitting out in a deck chair.
My first second XI game is likely to be at Darlington where Durham play Yorkshire over four days commencing on the 20th April with the added attraction of the wonderful catering if we are lucky. More grounds on my ever growing wanted list, but still a long way away soon appear like Polo Farm, Canterbury and the Blackstone Academy ground in Sussex.
Unfortunately the T20 competition commences early in May and continues for a month. For those capable of enduring two games in one day, with coloured clothing and black site screens, there are many attractive grounds on the list such as Sudbrook and St Fagans (both Glamorgan), Burnopfield (Durham), Stourport (Worcestershire), Denby and Glossop (both Derbyshire) and Worksop College (Notts). Yorkshire seconds return to Barnsley and Doncaster in a flag waving exercise for South Yorkshire, together with Middlesborough for the first time for a while.
When the championship season resumes there are again many tempting venues as far afield as New Close, Isle of Wight, Monmouth School and Yorkshire have four days at Neath against Glamorgan in August, very tempting to visit a ground which once held county championship games. Yorkshire also have two one day friendlies with Lancashire at Chester Boughton Hall at the end of July, at another highly recommended ground again with excellent catering facilities.
Leeds/Bradford University fixtures also now appear on their own website, although the other inter University games are hard to come by. Only one three-day game at Weetwood to look forward to against Cardiff at the beginning of May, but several BUCS one day home games and the usual friendly with MCC on 28th May. The University's opening game with Yorkshire has been moved from Weetwood to Headingley, but there seems some doubt whether the Long Room facilities, much needed in April's cold weather, will be available following improvements now going on.
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