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NV Play, the popular and innovative cricket technology and streaming platform, will sponsor the National Counties Trophy competition for the next three seasons.

The 50 overs white ball competition has been contested annually since 1983 with reigning champions Dorset beginning the defence of the title they won by beating Shropshire in last season’s final at Chester Boughton Hall, when the new campaign gets underway next month. This year’s final will be played at Copdock near Ipswich on Sunday July 19.

NV Play Cricket’s technology is used extensively by the 20 National Counties, the 18 first-class counties and in the recreational game in England and Wales and also in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The platform offers live scoring, match centres and professional grade broadcast capabilities with a curated range of kit options to suit every club.

More information about NV Play Cricket can be found at: www.nvplay.com

Richard Logan, NCCA Operations Director, said: "Partnering with NV Play for the next three years is a significant step forward for the National Counties Cricket Association and the 20 National Counties we support. This agreement is about more than technology. For the National Counties, this partnership is about creating consistency, improving standards, and giving every county access to the same high-quality digital tools. Having this access will enhance matchday operations, performance analysis, and create a better overall experience for players, officials, and supporters. NV Play’s platform will continue to help us modernise how our game is delivered and reported. We’re excited about the positive impact this partnership will have across all levels of National Counties cricket over the next three seasons."

The NV Play National Counties Trophy will launch the new National Counties season on Sunday April 26 with the opening round of group matches.

Dorset begin their title defence with a Group Four match against Cornwall at Wimborne while Shropshire take on Cumbria at Bridgnorth in Group One.

Devon’s opening Group Three match against Herefordshire will be the first competitive county match at Bovey Tracey since 2013 although the venue has hosted Showcase matches against Somerset since then.

Buckinghamshire will begin their defence of the NCCA Cluberly Championship with a home match against Staffordshire at Chesham from July 12 to 14. Buckinghamshire were last season’s Eastern Division champions and went on to clinch the national title by defeating Devon in a tense final at West Bromwich Dartmouth. Buckinghamshire will return to Chesham to face Suffolk (August 2-4) after they have travelled to Jesmond (July 26-28) to face Northumberland who were promoted to the top-flight for the first time as last season’s Eastern Division Two champions. Buckinghamshire complete their group programme against Cambridgeshire at Peterborough’s Bretton Gate ground from August 23 to 25. Devon, the reigning Western Division champions, begin their three-day campaign against Herefordshire at Sidmouth (July 12-14) before travelling to Banbury to face Oxfordshire (July 26-28).

Berkshire are the visitors to Blundell’s School for the first Championship fixture at the Tiverton venue since 1969 (August 2-4) with a visit to the South Wilts club in Salisbury to play newly-promoted Wiltshire concluding Devon’s regular season.

The National Counties T20 competition gets underway on May 24 with holders Norfolk facing Lincolnshire at Sprowston in their first double-header in Group Two.

Dorset, last year’s runners-up, begin their T20 campaign with a trip to Eastnor to face Herefordshire in Group Four. Suffolk will use two new venues for their home T20 double-headers in Group Two.

Lincolnshire will be the first-time visitors to Hadleigh’s Friars Road ground on May 24 with Hertfordshire the opponents at Mellis CC’s ground at Thurnham on July 5.

Wokingham’s Wellington Road ground will also host National Counties cricket for the first time when Berkshire face Buckinghamshire in a T20 double-header on June21.

Staffordshire return to Stone’s Lichfield Road ground for the first time in 11 years with Northumberland the visitors on May 24 and Buckinghamshire take county cricket back to Marlow for the first time since 2013. Both of their home double-headers against Oxfordshire (June 14) and Wales NC (July 5) will be played there.

Leighton Buzzard’s Bell Close will also stage National Counties cricket after a lengthy absence – 22 years – with Bedfordshire hosting Buckinghamshire there in the T20 competition on May 31.

NATIONAL COUNTIES FIXTURES 2026

NV PLAY NATIONAL COUNTIES TROPHY

April 26
Group One: Cambridgeshire v Cheshire (Peterborough), Shropshire v Cumbria (Bridgnorth).
Group Two: Northumberland v Bedfordshire (South Northumberland CC), Staffordshire v Norfolk (West Bromwich Dartmouth).
Group Three: Devon v Herefordshire (Bovey Tracey), Hertfordshire v Berkshire (Hitchin).
Group Four: Dorset v Cornwall (Wimborne), Wales NC v Buckinghamshire (Usk).

May 3
Group One: Cheshire v Suffolk (Toft), Shropshire v Cambridgeshire (Shifnal).
Group Two: Bedfordshire v Lincolnshire (Dunstable), Norfolk v Cambridgeshire (Sprowston).
Group Three: Berkshire v Devon (Falkland CC, Newbury), Herefordshire v Wiltshire (Colwall).
Group Four: Dorset v Wales NC (Wimborne), Oxfordshire v Buckinghamshire (Thame).

May 4
Group One: Cumbria v Suffolk (Barrow), Cheshire v Shropshire (Oxton).
Group Two: Bedfordshire v Staffordshire (Ampthill), Lincolnshire v Northumberland (Bracebridge Heath).
Group Three: Herefordshire v Hertfordshire (Brockhampton), Wiltshire v Devon (Warminster).
Group Four: Cornwall v Wales NC (Wadebridge), Oxfordshire v Dorset (St Edward’s School, Oxford).

May 10
Group One: Suffolk v Shropshire (Sudbury), Cambridgeshire v Cumbria (Exning).
Group Two: Lincolnshire v Norfolk (Woodhall Spa), Northumberland v Staffordshire (Jesmond).
Group Three: Berkshire v Herefordshire (Wargrave), Hertfordshire v Wiltshire (Welwyn Garden City).
Group Four: Buckinghamshire v Dorset (Tring), Cornwall v Oxfordshire (St Just).

May 17
Group One: Cumbria v Cheshire (Keswick), Suffolk v Cambridgeshire (Mildenhall).
Group Two: Norfolk v Bedfordshire (Sprowston), Staffordshire v Lincolnshire (Bignall End).
Group Three: Devon v Hertfordshire (Sidmouth), Wiltshire v Berkshire (Marlborough College).
Group Four: Buckinghamshire v Cornwall (Tring), Wales NC v Oxfordshire (Pontarddulais).

June 7
Quarter-finals

June 28
Semi-finals

July 19
Final (Copdock)

NCCA T20 COMPETITION

May 24
Group One: Cheshire v Shropshire (Didsbury), Staffordshire v Northumberland (Stone).
Group Two: Hertfordshire v Cambridgeshire (West Herts CC, Watford), Norfolk v Lincolnshire (Sprowston).
Group Three: Berkshire v Oxfordshire (Wargrave), Wales NC v Bedfordshire (Sudbrook).
Group Four: Devon v Wiltshire (Instow), Herefordshire v Dorset (Eastnor).

May 31
Group One: Northumberland v Cumbria (Allendale), Shropshire v Staffordshire (Wem).
Group Two: Cambridgshire v Suffolk (Sawston), Lincolnshire v Hertfordshire (Louth).
Group Three: Bedfordshire v Buckinghamshire (Leighton Buzzard), Oxfordshire v Wales NC (Challow & Childrey CC).
Group Four: Dorset v Devon (Wimborne), Wiltshire v Cornwall (Westbury).

June 14
Group One: Cumbria v Shropshire (Cockermouth), Staffordshire v Cheshire (Burslem).
Group Three: Buckinghamshire v Oxfordshire (Marlow), Wales NC v Berkshire (Panteg).
Group Four: Cornwall v Dorset (St Austell), Devon v Herefordshire (Blundell’s School, Tiverton).

June 21
Group One: Cheshire v Cumbria (Nantwich), Shropshire v Northumberland (Wellington).
Group Two: Lincolnshire v Cambridgeshire (Barton), Norfolk v Suffolk (Sprowston).
Group Three: Berkshire v Buckinghamshire (Wokingham), Oxfordshire v Bedfordshire (Didcot).
Group Four: Dorset v Wiltshire (Wimborne), Herefordshire v Cornwall (Eastnor).

July 5
Group One: Cumbria v Staffordshire (Carlisle), Northumberland v Cheshire (South Northumberland CC).
Group Two: Cambridgeshire v Norfolk (Exning), Suffolk v Hertfordshire (Mellis CC, Thurnham).
Group Three: Bedfordshire v Berkshire (Luton), Buckinghamshire v Wales NC (Marlow).
Group Four: Cornwall v Devon (Werrington), Wiltshire v Herefordshire (Westbury).

August 9
Super 12s

Finals Day (Wormsley)

NCCA CLUBERLY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 12-14
Eastern Division One Buckinghamshire v Staffordshire (Chesham), Suffolk v Northumberland (Bury St Edmunds).
Western Division One
Berkshire v Oxfordshire (Falkland CC, Newbury), Devon v Herefordshire (Sidmouth).
Eastern Division Two
Cumbria v Herefordshire (Furness CC), Lincolnshire v Norfolk (Sleaford).
Western Division Two
Cornwall v Shropshire (Truro), Wales NC v Dorset (Ebbw Vale).

July 26-28
Eastern Division One
Northumberland v Buckinghamshire (Jesmond), Staffordshire v Cambridgeshire (Checkley).
Western Division One
Herefordshire v Wiltshire (Eastnor), Oxfordshire v Devon (Banbury).
Eastern Division Two
Hertfordshire v Lincolnshire (Hitchin), Norfolk v Bedfordshire (Sprowston).
Western Division Two
Dorset v Cheshire (Wimborne), Shropshire v Wales NC (Bridgnorth).

August 2-4
Eastern Division One
Buckinghamshire v Suffolk (Chesham), Cambridgeshire v Northumberland (Sawston).
Western Division One
Devon v Berkshire (Blundell’s School, Tiverton), Wiltshire v Oxfordshire (Corsham).
Eastern Division Two
Bedfordshire v Lincolnshire (Dunstable), Norfolk v Cumbria (Sprowston).
Western Division Two
Cheshire v Shropshire (Nantwich), Wales NC v Cornwall (Ebbw Vale).

August 16-18
Eastern Division One
Northumberland v Staffordshire (South Northumberland CC), Suffolk v Cambridgeshire (Copdock).
Western Division One
Berkshire v Wiltshire (Henley), Oxfordshire v Herefordshire (Thame).
Eastern Division Two
Cumbria v Bedfordshire (Netherfield), Hertfordshire v Norfolk (Hertford).
Western Division Two: Cornwall v Cheshire (Redruth), Shropshire v Dorset (Whitchurch).

August 23-25
Eastern Division One
Cambridgeshire v Buckinghamshire (Peterborough), Staffordshire v Suffolk (Stafford).
Western Division One
Herefordshire v Berkshire (Eastnor), Wiltshire v Devon (South Wilts CC).
Eastern Division Two
Bedfordshire v Hertfordshire (Flitwick), Lincolnshire v Cumbria (Cleethorpes).
Western Division Two
Cheshire v Wales NC (Alderley Edge), Dorset v Cornwall (Wimborne).

September 6-9
Final (West Bromwich Dartmouth)