County qualify for P20

Leicestershire County Cricket Club, by way of finishing third in this year’s Twenty20 competition, have qualified for Division One of the inaugural P20 (English Premier League) competition that will be played in June 2010.

In Division One with Leicestershire are the eight quarter-finalists of this year’s Twenty20 Cup, with those sides being Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Somerset, Lancashire, Durham, Kent, Hampshire, and Sussex.

Details of the competition and the financial benefits for the club are yet to be confirmed, but the games are due to be scheduled on Indian television.

At least one Indian Test Player is likely to play for Leicestershire throughout the competition, along with the club’s overseas player for 2010, Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald.

Leicestershire Chief Executive David Smith is delighted to be involved.

He said: “I am very excited about the prospect of the club being involved in the competition, and I hope that it will bring much needed incremental revenues into the club.

“Twenty20 will play a vital part in the game’s future, and with a total of nine planned home games, I hope the scheduling will allow the club to make best use of Friday night and Sunday afternoon Twenty20 cricket.”

Scheduled fixtures are due to be released in early November, and the club understands that the team will play four P20 home games in June and a further five T20 (the current Twenty20 Competition) home games in July and August.

Leicestershire members and supporters can look forward to a real feast of Twenty20 cricket next season and Smith added he hoped the crowds would continue to support the club in the shorter form of the game.

The club will release membership and ticket prices for both Twenty20 competitions in October.

Smith also wished to thank the members and supporters for their magnificent support throughout this summer’s campaign and in particular the part they played in the Friday night win against Yorkshire.