English County Championship to return in 2021
The County Championship will return next year in a group-stage format after it had been scrapped this season as a result of coronavirus pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Friday.
The 18 first-class counties have decided on a revised structure for the 2021 men's first-class season, which will end with a showpiece five-day Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord's.
Essex will defend both titles following the county won the 2019 County Championship which year's inaugural Bob Willis Trophy.
Each county has been placed into one of three seeded sets of six and will play 10 matches through the group stages.
The very best two teams in each group will progress to Division One, with the other counties getting into Divisions Two and Three, where they will each play a further four matches.
The winner of Division One will be crowned county champions.
The most notable two teams in Division One may also earn the proper to play in the Bob Willis Trophy
England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Ian Watmore said: "I am delighted that the counties have been able to reach this agreement significantly less than three weeks after Essex won the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord's.
"The success of this competition provides reassurance that structure might help safeguard against any impact the global pandemic may have on next season while also ensuring the integrity of the County Championship."
