2000 fixtures announced

The first games of the newly structured two-division PPP County Championship will start on April 26 when six sides play the opening ties of the competition.

The First Class domestic season itself begins on April 7 at Taunton and Fenner's when Somerset take on Oxford University and Cambridge University host Lancashire.

The re-introduced Benson and Hedges Cup will involve the 18 First Class counties only, divided into three groups of six. The top two sides in each group and the two best third placed finishers will qualify for the knock-out quarter-finals.

CGU National Cricket League games begin on April 30 in both divisions when defending champions Lancashire play at Kent. There will be more floodlit games next season than ever before. There are 26 domestic floodlit fixtures with 16 counties hosting floodlit matches for the first time. Only Hampshire and Middlesex are not staging floodlit ties but both are keen to do so in the future.

There are 31 floodlit games in total next season including internationals and international warm-up games compared to 20 last summer.

For more information contact ECB Corporate Affairs on 0171 432 1200.