Vitality Blast & Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Fixtures Released

This morning has seen the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirm fixture schedules for both the Vitality Blast and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.

These schedules see Hampshire contest 10 behind-closed-doors Vitality Blast matches across August and September, with the Southern Vipers in action behind-closed-doors six times across the same period in the special-edition competition named in honour of England’s pioneering World Cup-winning captain.

The group stages of the Vitality Blast – with the 18 first-class counties split into the same three regionalised divisions as per the Bob Willis Trophy - commences on Thursday 27th August and runs until Sunday 20th September, with quarter-finals set for Thursday 1st October ahead of Finals Day at Edgbaston on Sunday 3rd October.

Hampshire are joined by local-rivals Sussex Sharks, Essex Eagles, Surrey, Middlesex and Kent in the South Group and play each side twice, once home and once away.

Sky will televise Hampshire’s ‘el clasicoast’ clash with rivals Sussex Sharks at the The Ageas Bowl on Thursday 10th September while live streams of Hampshire’s nine other group stage matches will be available on the free Hampshire Cricket App.

The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy commences two days after the Vitality Blast with the group stage running until Saturday 19th September ahead of a final on Saturday 26th September.

The Southern Vipers are joined by the other seven teams that make up the women’s new elite domestic structure in the special edition competition, with the eight sides split into two regionalised groups of four.

The Vipers will face the South East Stars, Western Storm and Sunrisers in their group, facing each side twice, once home and once away, with the two regionalised group winners proceeding to the final.

Today’s fixture schedule announcement from the ECB also saw them confirm Lord’s will host the five-day Bob Willis Trophy final from Wednesday 23rd September.

Following the news that Hampshire’s Vitality Blast matches at the The Ageas Bowl will be played behind-closed-doors all ticket and passport holders should have received an e-mail from the Ticket Office regarding refunds and passport exchanges. If you have not received this message please contact the The Ageas Bowl’s Ticket Office at tickets@ageasbowl.com.