Bob Willis Trophy schedule and playing conditions announced: Follow on at 200, fewer overs in the day

The ECB have confirmed that all matches within the Bob Willis Trophy will have first-class status, but the competition is not the equivalent of the County Championship and will have no bearing on the format of the traditional red-ball tournament

Bob Willis Trophy fixtures: Find out the full schedule

The fixture list and playing conditions for this summer's county red-ball competition - the Bob Willis Trophy - have been released.

All 18 counties will feature in the tournament, which will be played over five group-stage rounds from August 1, with a five-day final scheduled to take place in late September and early October.

The counties will be split into three groups based roughly on their geography. Yorkshire, Lancashire, Durham, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire make up the North; Glamorgan, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire are bundled into the Central section; and the South group features Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, Essex, Hampshire and Kent.

The ECB have confirmed that all matches within the Bob Willis Trophy will have first-class status, but the competition is not the equivalent of the County Championship and will have no bearing on the format of the traditional red-ball county tournament when it resumes in 2021.

The two group winners with the most points at the end of the round-robin stage will progress to the final - the location and date of which has yet to be confirmed, though it is expected to take place at Lord's.

One round of the Bob Willis Trophy will overlap with the rescheduled T20 Blast, which is due to begin on August 27. The calendar for the short-form competition will be revealed by the ECB in early to mid-August.

Tweaks to the general playing conditions include a reduction in the minimum number of overs, from 96 to 90, while the follow-on while be enforceable only with a lead of 200-plus runs rather than 150-plus.

^{County cricket returns on August 1}

Innings will not be permitted to last more than 120 overs at any time, while the new ball will be available after 90 overs not 80.

These alterations will be for the 2020 season only and reflect the outcome of expert medical guidance and consultation between the ECB, the counties and the PCA, with a specific focus on the prevention of injuries, particularly among fast bowlers.

The bonus points structure will mirror that in place during a typical County Championship season, but teams will be awarded eight points for a draw in the Bob Willis Trophy, rather than five in the Championship.

In the event of a draw in the five-day final, the tiebreaker will be first-innings runs.

In a relaxation of Championship regulations, counties will be able to loan a player to another club for one week over the course of the competition's cycle.

The competition will likely be played in its entirety behind closed doors, with recent government announcements suggesting that limited capacity crowds will not be allowed back into sporting venues until October 1 at the earliest.

There remains some hope among county executives that this stance could be changed in time for the Blast in September, but it is highly unlikely to shift in time for the red-ball season.

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There was a split of opinion among first-class counties as to whether or not to play first-class cricket when the decision was put to a vote earlier this month.

At least six counties had reservations about the cost and potential health implications of staging red-ball, four-day matches during the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, though a resolution was eventually passed.

Several counties have invested heavily in video streaming equipment over the course of the past 12 months, and see the Bob Willis Trophy as an opportunity to reward members for sticking with their clubs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Multi-camera options with commentary will be available online for members of several teams, with Surrey providing the first showcase of what that might look like during the women's London Cup friendly against Middlesex on Wednesday evening.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said: “It will be a fitting reward for all that work, and for the patience of all county cricket fans, when the first ball is bowled in the Bob Willis Trophy next Saturday. To have this year’s first-class competition named in Bob’s honour is a perfect gesture to a great man who is sorely missed.

“We will need to remain agile to the challenges that will await us during the shortened domestic season with the health and wellbeing of our players, staff, officials and fans continuing to be our first priority.”

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