WORCESTERSHIRE will launch their home Specsavers County Championship programme against Northamptonshire at New Road on April 21 as part of a new-look fixture list.
Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes’ side completed a double last season over their opponents including a record run chase of 401 in the home clash.
The Pears face an opening four-day clash against Glamorgan at the SSE SWALEC on April 14, the first game of a reduced 14 game campaign.
With Division Two now comprising of 10 teams, Worcestershire will face Glamorgan, Northants, Sussex, Durham and Gloucestershire home and away.
But as part of the shake up of County Cricket which has ensured eight teams in Division One, Worcestershire will play Derbyshire, Kent, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire once.
The away Championship clash with Durham at the Emirates ICG in late June will be played under floodlights.
The Royal London One-Day Cup has been moved from mid summer to a two and a half week block of group fixtures starting in late April with the quarter-finals and semi-finals staged in the same week in mid June and the final at Lord’s on July 1.
Worcestershire Rapids opening group game is against Nottinghamshire at New Road with the derby clash with visiting local rivals Warwickshire on May 12.
The T20 Blast will take place in a six week block from early July to mid August before the quarter-finals and then the traditional finals day at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 2.
Worcestershire will start their bid for glory with four successive home games including a mouth-watering opener on Friday, July 7 against the Birmingham Bears
New skipper Joe Leach is looking for the county to repeat the flying start made to the 2014 campaign when they last sealed a place in the top flight as runners-up to Hampshire.
“With the T20 Blast fixtures being in a block, it will mean that momentum will play a bigger part that in the past couple of seasons,” he added.
“Starting at home to Birmingham, will be a real appetiser for the fans and the game has that extra edge for the players as well with being a local derby.”
Worcestershire’s 2017 fixtures in full
April 7-9 – Leeds/Bradford MCCU – University Game – Weetwood
April 14-17 – Glamorgan – County Championship Division 2 – SSE Swalec
April 21-24 – Northamptonshire – County Championship Division 2 – New Road
April 27 – Nottinghamshire Outlaws – One Day Cup – New Road
April 30 – Leicestershire Foxes – One Day Cup – Grace Road
May 3 – Northamptonshire Outlaws – One Day Cup – Northampton
May 5 – Yorkshire Vikings – One Day Cup – New Road
May 10 – Lancashire Lightning – One Day Cup – Old Trafford
May 12 – Warwickshire – One Day Cup – New Road
May 14 – Durham Jets – One Day Cup – New Road
May 16 – Derbyshire Falcons – One Day Cup – County Ground
May 19-22 – Derbyshire – County Championship Division Two – County Ground
May 26-29 – Northamptonshore – County Championship Division Two – Northampton
June 2-5 – Sussex – County Championship Division Two – Hove
June 9-12 – Glamorgan – County Championship Division Two – New Road
June 19-22 – Kent – County Championship Division Two – New Road
June 26-29 – Durham – County Championship Division Two – Emirates Riverside
July 1 – One Day Cup Final – Lords
July 7 – Birmingham Bears – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
July 9-12 – Gloucestershire – County Championship Division Two – Cheltenham
July 14 – Leicestershire Foxes – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
July 19 – Derbyshire Falcons – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
July 21 – Lancashire Lightning – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
July 23 – Yorkshire Vikings – Natwest T20Blast – Headingley
July 26 – Nottinghamshire Outlaws – Natwest T20Blast – Trent Bridge
July 27 – Northamptonshire Steelbacks – Natwest T20Blast – Northampton
July 30 – Durham Jets – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
August 4 – Birmingham Bears – Natwest T20Blast – Edgbaston
August 5 – Northamptonshire Steelbacks – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
August 6-9 – Sussex – County Championship Division Two – New Road
August 11 – Durham Jets – Natwest T20Blast – Emirates Riverside
August 13 – Nottinghamshire Outlaws – Natwest T20Blast – New Road
August 16 – Lancashire Lightning – Natwest T20Blast – Old Trafford
August 18 – Derbyshire Falcons – Natwest T20Blast – County Ground
August 28-31 – Gloucestershire – County Championship Division Two – New Road
September 2 – Natwest T20Blast Finals Day
September 5-8 – Nottinghamshire – County Championship Division Two – Trent Bridge
September 12-15 – Leicestershire – County Championship Division Two – New Road
September 25-28 – Durham – County Championship Division Two – New Road