Durham face Essex in opener

First-class fixtures see Durham open title defence against Essex

By Rachel Griffiths   Last updated: 19th November 2009  

Durham face Essex in opener

Smith: Led Durham to championship success

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Durham will open their campaign to secure their third successive LV= County Championship Division One title with a home game against newly-promoted Essex.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have announced the first-class fixtures for the 2010 season, which will see the north-east county chasing the trophy after securing it for the first time in their history in 2008 and successfully defending it this summer under the captaincy of Will Smith.

A traditional curtain-raiser against MCC will get Durham's season underway before they welcome Essex to Chester-le-Street in the second round of Championship fixtures.

Durham claimed the title two years ago led by Dale Benkenstein in the final round of matches against Kent, but their last game next term will pit them against tough opposition in championship rivals Somerset at the Riverside on September 13.

Debut

Other significant fixtures include the first Roses showdown of the season at Headingley on May 29 and 2005 Ashes hero Matthew Hoggard's debut as skipper for new county Leicestershire against Northamptonshire on April 9.

Meanwhile, England spinner Monty Panesar, who lost both his Test place and his central contract during a recent decline in form and was released by Northamptonshire a year early, will return to his former home county with Sussex on May 18.

The fixture list also reveals details of the revamped limited-overs game in England and Wales next season, with no domestic 50-over cricket scheduled in 2010 in favour of an expanded Twenty20 Cup and a modified 40-over tournament.

There are 151 Twenty20 clashes lined-up for his summer, including finals day at Hampshire's Rose Bowl on August 14, with Middlesex already gearing up for that competition with the signing of Australia legend Adam Gilchrist for the group stages.

The new ECB 40 League will begin on April 25 and run until a Lord's final on September 18, with the newly-assembled Recreational XI making their first appearance against Surrey on May 2 ahead of Holland entering proceedings on May 15 against Yorkshire.

Surrey, Middlesex, Sussex and Essex will all face tour matches against visiting Bangladesh, while Ireland, Middlesex and Derbyshire will meet the touring Australians.

Pakistan will be hosted by Leicestershire, Worcestershire and Somerset.