The fixtures for the 2012 cricket season have been released and Kent will start with a trip to Yorkshire.
The opening round of the LV=County Championship on Thursday 5th April will see Kent make the trip to Headingley followed by a journey to Northampton a week later.
Kent’s first home match will be against Gloucestershire at Canterbury beginning on Thursday 19th April.
The highlight of the calendar for Kent is the three day ‘tourist match’ against South Africa, commencing on Friday 13th July.
The Club have welcomed the County Championship schedule, with Kent CEO Jamie Clifford commenting; “It is pleasing to see a more even spread of home fixtures in the County Championship, with two home matches in April and May, Tunbridge Wells Cricket Festival in June and then matches in Canterbury in July, August and September.
“When the South Africa tour match was confirmed early this year the news was extremely well received, so we anticipate this match will be very popular too.”
The 2012 Tunbridge Wells Cricket Festival will showcase all three forms of the game for the first time. Following the extended June Bank Holiday, Kent will play Hampshire in the County Championship, followed by a CB40 match against Northamptonshire on Sunday 10th June. The festival will be concluded with Kent Spitfires’ opening home Friends Life t20 fixture against neighbours Sussex on Tuesday 12th June.
In its 161st year, Canterbury Cricket Week will start on 8th August, with Ladies Day scheduled for Thursday 9th. Kent will compete against Essex in the County Championship, with the Spitfires then playing Derbyshire Falcons in the CB40 competition on Sunday 12th August.
Kent Spitfires will start their CB40 season with an away fixture, taking on Yorkshire on Sunday 6th May, before facing The Unicorns at Canterbury two weeks later.
A significant feature of the CB40 home programme is that three Canterbury games will be played under floodlights at the redeveloped St Lawrence Ground; Warwickshire on Friday 1st June, Sussex on Monday 16th July and Yorkshire on Wednesday 22nd August. Investment in world-class floodlights at the St Lawrence Ground means that it is easier to schedule match times to suit supporter lifestyle.
Home Friends Life t20 matches follow a similar format, with all three Canterbury matches under floodlights; Hampshire Royals on Friday 15th June, Middlesex Panthers on Tuesday 26th June and Essex Eagles on Friday 6th July.
In 2012 there will be a reduction in the number of Friends Life t20 matches, but the Club are hopeful that the well-spaced evening matches will result in an increase in attendance.
Of note is the inclusion of an England Women’s International fixture, against India, preceding the Kent Spitfires versus Middlesex Panthers.
At this stage, the venue for the fifth Friends Life t20 fixture, against Surrey on Sunday 17th June is to be confirmed.
This is a game traditionally played at Beckenham and, depending on the outcome of the current planning application for the ground, will either be confirmed as Beckenham or moved to an alternative Kent ground.
Kent Cricket’s CEO Jamie Clifford concluded; “I would like to thank members and supporters for their patience during the extensive redevelopments at the St Lawrence Ground. We hope you will join us in 2012 to take full advantage of the new facilities.
“We are pleased with our programme of fixtures and there is something for everyone – from the tradition of the County Championship and our famous cricket festivals, to the excitement of the Friends Life t20, the CB40 campaign and a tour match against South Africa.”
Kent County Cricket Club has launched a range of Membership and Ticketing options for 2012, which offer generous reductions on stand-alone ticket prices. The Club also has a number of early bird specials available for online purchase until 31st December 2011.
Kent’s 2012 fixtures in full:
Thursday 5th April Yorkshire v Kent Headingley 4 days County Championship
Thursday 12th April Northamptonshire v Kent Northampton 4 days County Championship
Thursday 19th April Kent v Gloucestershire Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Thursday 26th April Kent v Yorkshire Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Wednesday 2nd May Oxford MCCU v Kent The Parks 3 days University match
Sunday 6th May Yorkshire v Kent Headingley CB40
Wednesday 9th May Essex v Kent Chelmsford 4 days County Championship
Wednesday 16th May Kent v Northamptonshire Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Sunday 20th May Kent v Unicorns Canterbury CB40
Wednesday 23rd May Kent v Leicestershire Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Friday 1st June Kent v Warwickshire Canterbury CB40 (floodlit)
Tuesday 5th June Unicorns v Kent TBC CB40
Wednesday 6th June Kent v Hampshire Tunbridge Wells 4 days County Championship
Sunday 10th June Kent v Northamptonshire Tunbridge Wells CB40
Tuesday 12th June Kent v Sussex Tunbridge Wells FLt20
Friday 15th June Kent v Hampshire Canterbury FLt20 (floodlit)
Sunday 17th June Kent v Surrey TBC FLt20
Tuesday 19th June Essex v Kent Chelmsford FLt20 (floodlit)
Friday 22nd June Hampshire v Kent Rose Bowl FLt20 (floodlit)
Tuesday 26th June Kent v Middlesex Canterbury FLt20 (floodlit)
Friday 29th June Sussex v Kent Hove FLt20 (floodlit)
Thursday 5th July Surrey v Kent The Oval FLt20 (floodlit)
Friday 6th July Kent v Essex Canterbury FLt20 (floodlit)
Sunday 8th July Middlesex v Kent Uxbridge FLt20
Friday 13th July Kent v South Africa Canterbury 3 day Tour Match
Monday 16th July Kent v Sussex Canterbury CB40 (floodlit)
Thursday 19th July Kent v Glamorgan Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Tuesday 24th July TBC TBC FLt20 Quarter Finals
Wednesday 25th July TBC TBC FLt20 Quarter Finals
Friday 27th July Hampshire v Kent Rose Bowl 4 days County Championship
Tuesday 31st July Derbyshire v Kent Derby CB40 (floodlit)
Thursday 2nd August Derbyshire v Kent Derby 4 days County Championship
Wednesday 8th August Kent v Essex Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Sunday 12th August Kent v Derbyshire Canterbury CB40
Monday 13th August Warwickshire v Kent Edgbaston CB40 (floodlit)
Wednesday 15th August Gloucestershire v Kent Bristol 4 days County Championship
Sunday 19th August Northamptonshire v Kent Northampton CB40
Wednesday 22nd August Kent v Yorkshire Canterbury CB40 (floodlit)
Saturday 25th August TBC SWALEC Stadium FLt20 Finals Day
Monday 27th August Sussex v Kent Hove CB40
Tuesday 28th August Leicestershire v Kent Grace Road 4 days County Championship
Saturday 1st September TBC TBC CB40 Semi Finals
Tuesday 4th September Kent v Derbyshire Canterbury 4 days County Championship
Tuesday 11th September Glamorgan v Kent SWALEC Stadium 4 days County Championship
Saturday 15th September TBC Lords CB40 Final