CB40 groups for 2013 announced

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Warwickshire will face Midlands rivals Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire in next season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 group stage.

Warwickshire, who were beaten by Hampshire in agonising fashion in last Saturday’s final at Lord’s, will also face Kent, Sussex and Holland in a competitive Group A.

Holland have retained their place in the CB40 along with fellow minnows Scotland and the Unicorns despite concerns that this year might be their last in the county competition.

The Dutch helped their cause by winning five group matches in the first half of the season and they were strong candidates to qualify for the semi-finals until a slump in the second half of the season saw them fall away.

Warwickshire will visit Holland for the first time since 2005 when they struggled to subdue the Dutch in a Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy tie in Rotterdam.

Their home game against Holland will see a return to Edgbaston for Richard Cox, chief executive of the Netherlands Cricket Board, who previously worked as director of cricket of the Warwickshire Cricket Board.

In the other CB40 groupings Hampshire will defend their title in Group B alongside Lancashire, Derbyshire, Durham Essex, Surrey and Scotland.

Leicestershire have been drawn in Group C along with Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Middlesex, Somerset, Yorkshire and the Unicorns.


Date: 19/09/2012 16:15:51 by Paul Bolton
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