Staffordshire to play at two new home grounds in the 2023 NCCA campaign

Checkley Cricket Club.

Staffordshire County Cricket Club will stage games at two new home venues in the 2023 National Counties Cricket Association campaign.

Staffs have finalised their fixture schedule for next summer and both Moddershall & Oulton and Smethwick will host first-team fixtures.

Moddershall & Oulton will host the season’s curtain raiser when Staffordshire entertain Cumbria in a Twenty20 Cup group double header on Sunday, April 16.

And Smethwick will get their chance to showcase the cream of Staffs cricket when Wiltshire head north in the Trophy on June 4.

The Twenty20 Cup forms the first block of the season for NCCA sides, with Staffordshire following up their home game with Cumbria by making the long trip to take on Northumberland at South Northumberland on April 23.

The following Sunday, Shropshire visit Leek for the Staffs’ penultimate clash in the short form of the game.

They wind their group campaign up at Cheshire, although the date for that match is yet to be confirmed.

It will either be staged on Monday May 1 or Monday, May 8 depending on confirmation about a Bank Holiday to mark King Charles III’s Coronation.

Finals day takes place on May 21, with Staffs aiming to take the next step after improving their fortunes in the T20 format in 2022, despite not ultimately qualifying from their group.

All eyes will be on Staffordshire’s progress in the Knockout Trophy after they endured a miserable 50-over campaign in the summer.

They lost three of their four group matches to end any hopes they had of building on recent impressive white-ball performances and reach the knockout stages.

A long trek is first up for Staffordshire in the 50-over competition when they visit Wales on Sunday, May 28.

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Pictured: Checkley Cricket Club will host Staffordshire’s NCCA Championship game against Lincolnshire in 2023.