ECB set to prioritise Twenty20 over County Championship in truncated 2020 season

The start of the English cricket season has been delayed until at least May 28 because of the coronavirus crisis and the ECB have announced that they will prioritise international series and domestic Twenty20 tournaments over the County Championship.

The four-day Championship had been scheduled to start on April 12 but Tom Harrison, chief executive officer of the ECB, said: “From a sporting perspective, we will seek to protect international cricket, the T20 Blast and the new Hundred competition as the most financially important forms for first-class counties.”

The Blast is set to start on May 28 while England, whose tour of Sri Lanka was cancelled this month, are scheduled to play their first home Test of the summer against the West Indies on June 4.

There are reports that the series could be delayed until September, or even switched to the Caribbean, but there is inevitable uncertainty over the entire 2020 season.

England's 2020 home schedule

June 4 Start of three-Test series v West Indies

July 4 Start of three-T20 series v Australia

July 11 Start of three-ODI series v Australia

July 30 Start of three-Test series v Pakistan

August 29 Start of three-T20 series v Pakistan

September 10 Start of three-ODI series v Ireland

English cricket’s new Twenty20 franchise-based competition The Hundred is due to be played in July and August although this year’s Indian Premier League is also considering a July-to-September window.

The IPL, originally supposed to start on March 29, has been put back until April 15 but one Indian government ministry has already advised organisers against going ahead with the lucrative tournament.

Australia’s David Warner has withdrawn from The Hundred. The opening batsman was drafted by Southern Brave, based at the Rose Bowl, but Warner's agent said the player is keen to manage his workload with the T20 World Cup due to be staged in Australia in October and November.

As it stands: how coronavirus is affecting cricket's big events

Indian Premier League

Provisionally postponed from March 29 to April 15.

Latest betting 4 Mumbai Indians, 9-2 Sunrisers Hyderabad, 5 Chennai Super Kings, 13-2 Kolkata Knight Riders, 7 Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, 9 Kings XI Punjab, 10 Rajasthan Royals.

County Championship

Scheduled to start on April 12 but the ECB says no professional cricket will take place in England until at least May 28.

Division One betting 7-2 Essex, 11-2 Surrey, 6 Somerset, Lancashire, 13-2 Hampshire, 7 Yorkshire, 12 bar.

Division Two betting 2 Nottinghamshire, 4 Sussex, 9-2 Middlesex, 9 Worcestershire, 10 Durham, 12 Glamorgan, 20 bar.

One-Day Cup

Scheduled to start on July 20 with the final at Trent Bridge on September 19.

No betting available.

T20 Blast

Scheduled to start on May 28 with Finals Day at Edgbaston on September 5.

Latest betting 15-2 Sussex, Nottinghamshire, 9 Somerset, 10 Essex, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Middlesex, 12 Hampshire, Worcestershire, Surrey, 16 Kent, 18 bar.

The Hundred

Men's and women's tournaments scheduled to run from July 17 to August 18.

Latest betting 5 Southern Brave, 6 Oval Invincibles, Northern Superchargers, Welsh Fire, 13-2 Trent Rockets, 7 Birmingham Phoenix, 8 Manchester Originals, 10 London Spirit.

T20 World Cup

Scheduled to run from October 18 to November 15 in Australia.

Latest betting 11-4 Australia, 7-2 India, 5 England, 8 New Zealand, 9 South Africa, West Indies, 12 Pakistan, 50 bar.

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