Warwickshire: Bears to play County Championship home game at Worcester
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Warwickshire are to play their County Championship home fixture against Essex in July at Worcester - the home of neighbouring rivals Worcestershire.
The staging of the ICC World Cup during June and July meant that the Bears would have to play at least one Championship game away from Edgbaston.
And, instead of using an out-ground, they have chosen to go to Worcester.
"We know Blackfinch New Road is a very popular venue for cricket fans," said Bears chief executive Neil Snowball.
"We are actively exploring our options for 2020, when we know that the 50-over competition is likely to be played away from Edgbaston.
"We will be considering the use of out-grounds for these matches, in addition to the use of the Edgbaston Community Sports Ground."
Bears groundstaff at Edgbaston
The Edgbaston Community Sports Ground at Portland Road, formerly known as Mitchell & Butlers, has been under redevelopment since 2014. But, although the ground and outfield are in good shape, it is not yet ready for spectators with too few facilities available.
There would have been stewarding issues and the Edgbaston groundstaff would be busy on World Cup duty.
The four-day game against Essex (13-16 July) comes immediately after the two days set aside for the second World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston (11-12 July). And groundstaff would not have been available to help prepare the wicket.
In the past, Warwickshire regularly used to go to out-grounds such as Coventry's Courtaulds Ground and Nuneaton, but they last staged a Championship home game away from Edgbaston at Stratford in 2005.
However, they have since played two One-Day Cup ties and a T20 Blast game in front of a packed crowd at Rugby School.
This will be the Bears' first Championship match at New Road, but Edgbaston has done the reverse and staged a Worcestershire home fixture when, following the New Road flood of 2007, the Pears played Sussex in Birmingham in the Pro40 League.
Warwickshire, who are not now expected to appoint a successor to former sport director Ashley Giles, now England's director of cricket, until late February, will start the new Championship season with a home game against Kent, starting on 11 April.
