Vitality Blast T20 competition returns to Sky Sports this summer!

The England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed that this summer’s shortened domestic season will culminate with Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday, October 3.

The Vitality Blast will begin on Thursday, August 27 with the game between Yorkshire Vikings and Notts Outlaws at Emerald Headingley, the first of 10 live group games to be shown on Sky Sports Cricket.

The Vitality Blast has been regionalised into the same three groups used in the four-day Bob Willis Trophy domestic competition, with each county set to play 10 group-stage matches behind closed doors.

The quarter-finals will all be played on Thursday, October 1 with one of those to be shown live on Sky, along with Finals Day in full two days later – by which time the ECB is hopeful that crowds may be able to attend in line with current Government guidelines for the safe return of mass gatherings at sporting events.

All white-ball knockout matches, including Vitality Blast Finals Day and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final, have been assigned reserve days.

The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy – the women’s domestic 50-over competition for 2020 – will begin two days after the start of the Blast, with all eight teams to play twice over the August Bank Holiday weekend and a final to be staged on Saturday, September 26.

Vitality Blast fixtures live on Sky

August 27: Yorkshire Vikings v Notts Outlaws – Emerald Headingley
August 31 (double-header): Leicestershire Foxes v Durham, Derbyshire v Lancashire Lightning – Emerald Headingley
September 2: Birmingham Bears v Gloucestershire – Edgbaston
September 3 (double-header): Worcestershire Rapids v Somerset, Northants Steelbacks v Glamorgan – Edgbaston
September 5 (double-header): Essex Eagles v Kent Spitfires, Surrey v Middlesex – The Kia Oval
September 10: Hampshire v Sussex Sharks – The Ageas Bowl
September 17: Lancashire Lightning v Yorkshire Vikings – Emirates Old Trafford

On the announcement of the Vitality Blast and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixtures for 2020, ECB chief executive officer, Tom Harrison, said: “After a challenging few months it’s really exciting that we can look forward to three domestic finals at the end of the summer.

“It promises to be a thrilling climax to the season, and something members, fans and everyone involved in the game can look forward to. Finals Day at Edgbaston will also ensure the men’s county cricket finishes the season on a high.

“I’m also proud that we will stage the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in honour of a true great of our game both on and off the field. Rachael’s determination to give women’s cricket the platform it deserves is a legacy that must endure through these difficult times as we continue the journey to professionalise the women’s game. This summer’s tournament will be another important step on that path.

“The fact we’ve been able to get so much domestic cricket played this summer owes to the collaborative efforts of the county network and their willingness to find a way to get the game on in the safest way possible for all involved.

“There will be many more challenges ahead, but the unity and spirit shown during this summer has been a tribute to the county network as we work together to grow our sport.”

Vitality Blast fixtures in full

Thursday, August 27
Kent vs Hampshire, Canterbury, T20 South, 2pm
Glamorgan vs Worcestershire, Sophia Gardens, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Gloucestershire vs Northamptonshire, Bristol County Ground, T20 Central, 2pm
Derbyshire vs Leicestershire, The Fischer County Ground, T20 North, 6.30pm
Durham vs Lancashire, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 6.30pm
Yorkshire vs Nottinghamshire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 6.35pm
Essex vs Middlesex, The Cloudfm County Ground, T20 South, 2pm

Friday, August 28
Birmingham Bears vs Somerset, Edgbaston, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Sussex vs Surrey, The 1st Central County Ground, T20 South, 2pm

Saturday, August 29
Durham vs Nottinghamshire, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 2pm
Leicestershire vs Lancashire, The Fischer County Ground, T20 North, 2pm
Middlesex vs Kent, Lord’s, T20 South, 2pm
Worcestershire vs Northamptonshire, Blackfinch New Road, T20 Central, 2pm
Gloucestershire vs Glamorgan, Bristol County Ground, T20 Central, 2pm

Sunday, August 30
Sussex vs Hampshire, the 1st Central County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Surrey vs Essex, Kia Oval, T20 South, 2pm
Yorkshire vs Derbyshire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 2pm
Northamptonshire vs Somerset, The County Ground Northampton, T20 Central, 2pm
Glamorgan vs Birmingham Bears, Sophia Gardens, T20 Central, 2pm

Monday, August 31
Leicestershire vs Durham, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 2pm
Derbyshire vs Lancashire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, tbc
Nottinghamshire vs Yorkshire, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 2pm
Worcestershire vs Gloucestershire, Blackfinch New Road, T20 Central, 1pm

Tuesday, September 1
Somerset vs Glamorgan, The Cooper Associates County Ground, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Middlesex vs Sussex, Lord’s, T20 South, 6.15pm
Northamptonshire vs Birmingham Bears, The County Ground Northampton, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Kent vs Surrey, Canterbury, T20 South, 2pm
Essex vs Hampshire, The Cloudfm County Ground, T20 South, 2pm

Wednesday, September 2
Derbyshire vs Durham, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 6.30pm
Yorkshire vs Leicestershire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 6.30pm
Lancashire vs Nottinghamshire, tbc, T20 North, tbc
Birmingham Bears vs Gloucestershire, Edgbaston, T20 Central, 6.35pm

Thursday, September 3
Middlesex vs Essex, Lord’s, T20 South, 6.15pm
Worcestershire vs Somerset, Edgbaston, T20 Central, tbc
Northamptonshire vs Glamorgan, Edgbaston, T20 Central, tbc
Sussex vs Kent, The 1st Central County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Surrey vs Hampshire, Kia Oval, T20 South, 6.30pm

Friday, September 4
Gloucestershire vs Worcestershire, Bristol County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Somerset vs Birmingham Bears, The Cooper Associates County Ground, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Durham vs Yorkshire, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 6.30pm
Lancashire vs Derbyshire, Liverpool, T20 North, 2.30pm
Nottinghamshire vs Leicestershire, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 6pm

Saturday, September 5
Surrey vs Middlesex, Kia Oval, T20 South, 6.35pm
Essex vs Kent, Kia Oval, T20 South, tbc

Thursday, September 10
Hampshire vs Sussex, Ageas Bowl, T20 South

Friday, September 11
Somerset vs Worcestershire, The Cooper Associates County Ground, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Nottinghamshire vs Lancashire, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 6pm
Essex vs Surrey, The Cloudfm County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Leicestershire vs Yorkshire, The Fischer County Ground, T20 North, 6.30pm
Birmingham Bears vs Glamorgan, Edgbaston, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire, The County Ground Northampton, T20 Central, 2.30pm
Durham vs Derbyshire, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 6.30pm

Saturday, September 12
Kent vs Sussex, Canterbury, T20 South, 2pm
Middlesex vs Hampshire, Lord’s, T20 South, 2pm

Sunday, September 13
Glamorgan vs Northamptonshire, Sophia Gardens, T20 Central, 2pm
Somerset vs Gloucestershire, The Cooper Associates County Ground, T20 Central, 2pm
Worcestershire vs Birmingham Bears, Blackfinch New Road, T20 Central, 1pm
Derbyshire vs Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 2pm
Durham vs Leicestershire, Emirates Riverside, T20 North, 2pm

Monday, September 14
Yorkshire vs Lancashire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 6.30pm
Middlesex vs Surrey, Lord’s, T20 South, 6.15pm
Sussex vs Essex, The 1st Central County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Hampshire vs Kent, Ageas Bowl, T20 South, 2pm

Tuesday, September 15
Leicestershire vs Derbyshire, The Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, T20 North, 6.30pm
Gloucestershire vs Birmingham Bears, Bristol County Ground, T20 Central, 2pm
Northamptonshire vs Worcestershire, The County Ground Northampton, T20 Central, 6.30pm

Wednesday, September 16
Hampshire vs Essex, Ageas Bowl, T20 South, 2pm
Glamorgan vs Somerset, Sophia Gardens, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Kent vs Middlesex, Canterbury, T20 South, 2pm
Surrey vs Sussex, Kia Oval, T20 South, 6.30pm
Yorkshire vs Durham, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 6.30pm

Thursday, September 17
Lancashire vs Yorkshire, Emirates Old Trafford, T20 North, 6.35pm
Nottinghamshire vs Derbyshire, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 6pm

Friday, September 18
Kent vs Essex, Canterbury, T20 South, 2pm
Sussex vs Middlesex, The 1st Central County Ground, T20 South, 2pm
Birmingham Bears vs Worcestershire, Edgbaston, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Somerset vs Northamptonshire, The Cooper Associates County Ground, T20 Central, 5pm
Glamorgan vs Gloucestershire, Sophia Gardens, T20 Central, 6.30pm
Lancashire vs Durham, Emirates Old Trafford, T20 North, 6.30pm
Hampshire vs Surrey, Ageas Bowl, T20 South, 2pm
Leicestershire vs Nottinghamshire, The Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, T20 North, 5pm

Sunday, September 20
Surrey vs Kent, Kia Oval, T20 South, 1pm
Hampshire vs Middlesex, Ageas Bowl, T20 South, 1pm
Birmingham Bears vs Northamptonshire, Edgbaston, T20 Central, 1pm
Worcestershire vs Glamorgan, Blackfinch New Road, T20 Central, 1pm
Derbyshire vs Yorkshire, Emerald Headingley, T20 North, 1pm
Lancashire vs Leicestershire, Emirates Old Trafford, T20 North, 1pm
Nottinghamshire vs Durham, Trent Bridge, T20 North, 1pm
Essex vs Sussex, The Cloudfm County Ground, T20 South, 1pm
Gloucestershire vs Somerset, Bristol County Ground, T20 Central, 1pm

Thursday, October 1
TBC vs TBC, T20 quarter-final, tbc

Saturday, October 3
T20 Final, 11am

Rachael Heyhoe Flint fixtures in full

Saturday, August 29
Sunrisers vs Southern Vipers, The Cloudfm County Ground, 10.30am
Central Sparks vs Northern Diamonds, Edgbaston, 10.30am
Lightning vs Thunder, Trent Bridge, 10.30am
South East Stars vs Western Storm, Beckenham, 10.30am

Monday, August 31
Western Storm vs Southern Vipers, Bristol County Ground, 10.30am
South East Stars vs Sunrisers, Beckenham, 10.30am
Thunder vs Central Sparks, tbc, 10.30am
Northern Diamonds vs Lightning, Emirates Riverside, 10.30am

Saturday September 5
Central Sparks vs Thunder, Blackfinch New Road, 10.30am
Sunrisers vs Western Storm, The Cloudfm County Ground, 10.30am
Lightning vs Northern Diamonds, The Fischer County Ground, 10.30am
Southern Vipers vs South East Stars, The 1st Central County Ground, 10.30am

Thursday, September 10
Thunder vs Northern Diamonds, Tbc, 10.30am

Friday, September 11
Western Storm vs South East Stars, Bristol County Ground, 10.30am
Southern Vipers vs Sunrisers, Ageas Bowl, 10.30am
Central Sparks vs Lightning, Blackfinch New Road, 10.30am

Sunday, September 13
Southern Vipers vs Western Storm, Ageas Bowl, 10.30am
Sunrisers vs South East Stars, The Cloudfm County Ground, 10.30am
Thunder vs Lightning, tbc, 10.30am
Northern Diamonds vs Central Sparks, Emerald Headingley, 10.30am

Saturday, September 19
South East Stars vs Southern Vipers, Kia Oval, 10.30am
Northern Diamonds vs Thunder, Emerald Headingley, 10.30am
Lightning vs Central Sparks, The Fischer County Ground, Grace Road, 11am
Western Storm vs Sunrisers, Bristol County Ground, 10.30am

Saturday, September 26
TBC vs TBC, RHFT Final, 10.30am

(c) Sky Sports 2020: Vitality Blast T20 competition returns to Sky Sports this summer!