English cricket schedule 2025: County Championship and One-Day Cup matches hit concerns over player welfare | Cricket news

The 2025 domestic cricket schedule has been met with concerns over player welfare as the Professional Cricketers' Association called for future changes to prevent a “tragedy”.

The ECB on Tuesday confirmed next year's County Championships and One-Day Cup fixtures, competitions that will take place alongside the Vitality Blast and The Hundred in a packed six-month schedule next summer.

The announcement sparked criticism from PCA chairman James Harris, who says his organization has continued constructive communication with the ECB on player welfare and wants the game to come together to make significant changes by 2026.

“There remain even more, almost impossible, periods in which peak performance is possible,” Harris said.

“In 2025, this is unacceptable in a world where awareness of the mental and physical health of elite athletes must be prioritized, given the professionalism and scrutiny of modern times.

“We urge the game to come together as this issue can no longer be sidelined. We cannot wait for a tragedy to happen before the game wakes up and recognizes that player welfare is not a priority.”

Neil Snowball, ECB's Managing Director of Competitions & Major Events, says player welfare is a key factor in planning the provincial season

He also denied that the ECB is at odds with the PCA.

“A fair share of the matches are mitigated by double headers that are scheduled,” Snowball said.

“Weaving the over-50s cricket into and around other competitions went well. There are enough days a week for this in the six months.

“The games have been well received… and we've had quite a positive response.

“The goal was to give the provinces what they wanted and we were about 95 percent successful in that.”

Details of the 2025 cricket schedule

The ECB confirmed on Tuesday that Surrey will begin their bid for a fourth consecutive Rothesay County Championship title with a trip to Essex in the first week of April.

Surrey are aiming to become the first side to win the competition four times in a row since they secured seven successive titles during a glittering period between 1952 and 1958.

The Kia Oval team will head to Chelmsford from Friday 4 to Monday 7 April, with the opening round in Division One also seeing newly promoted Yorkshire and Sussex visit Hampshire and Warwickshire respectively.

Nottinghamshire will host Durham, while Somerset welcome Worcestershire to Taunton.

In Division Two, Lancashire and Kent – ​​both relegated from the top flight at the end of the 2024 season – start with away matches against Middlesex and Northamptonshire respectively.

The other first round matches are Derbyshire vs Gloucestershire and Glamorgan vs Leicestershire.

Eight rounds of County Championship action will be contested in April and May, with two each in June and July and then three more in September to conclude the domestic summer.

Kookaburra ball can be used in June and July

The matches in June and July will be played with the Kookaburra ball, as opposed to the usual Dukes.

The Kookaburra – which has a less pronounced seam than the Dukes – was used for two rounds in April and two in September during the 2024 season.

However, it is hoped that the move to the peak of summer will see a reverse swing for pace bowlers and also bring spinners into the game.

The Kookaburra is mainly used overseas, including in Australia, and its introduction to county cricket was recommended in Sir Andrew Strauss' performance review after England were defeated 4-0 away from home in the 2021-2022 Ashes.

Metro Bank One-Day Cup final in September

Fixtures for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup have also been announced, with the group stage of the new women's competition to be played in April and May before returning in July and the men's pool stage in August.

Defending champions Glamorgan – who defeated Somerset in the 2024 final at Trent Bridge – started their defense at home to Hampshire in Neath on Tuesday, August 5.

The finals of both tournaments will take place in September: the men's tournament at Trent Bridge on Saturday 20 September and the women's tournament at the Utilita Bowl in Hampshire a day later.

In the women's competition, the eight teams – Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze and Warwickshire – will play against each other, before the top four progress to the semi-finals.

In addition, there will be a second Women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup competition featuring Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks and Worcestershire Rapids. and Yorkshire.

The Disability Premier League title will also be won in September.

The group stage, featuring Black Cats, Hawks, Pirates and Tridents, will be played over three rounds before the final is played as a doubleheader with the England men's T20 against South Africa in Cardiff on Tuesday, September 10.

Provincial Championship 2025 – ffirst round (4-7 April)

Division One

• Essex vs Surrey (Chelmsford)
• Hampshire vs Yorkshire (Utilita Bowl, Southampton)
• Somerset vs Worcestershire (Taunton)
• Warwickshire vs Sussex (Edgbaston)
• Nottinghamshire vs Durham (Trent Bridge)

Division Two

• Northamptonshire vs Kent (Northampton)
• Derbyshire vs Gloucestershire (Derby)
• Middlesex vs Lancashire (Lord's)
• Glamorgan v Leicestershire (Cardiff)

Metro Bank One Day Cup 2025

• Men's final – Saturday September 20 (Trent Bridge)
• Final ladies – Sunday September 21 (Utilita Bowl (Southampton)

Men's groups in Metro Bank One-Day Cup

• Group A: Notts Outlaws, Essex, Worcestershire, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Leicestershire Foxes, Derbyshire Falcons
• Group B: Kent Spitfires, Yorkshire, Somerset, Lancashire, Durham, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Middlesex, Sussex Sharks

Women's teams in Metro Bank One-Day Cup

• Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze, Warwickshire