The Royal London Cup has returned to the domestic schedule this summer following a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Somerset are the defending champions after they defeated Hampshire at Lord’s in 2019 with Trent Bridge set to host the showpiece decider in August this year.
Here are all the details you need to know about the 50-over white-ball competition.
When does the Royal London Cup start
The tournament will begin on 22 July.
What is the format of the competition this summer?
The 18 First-Class counties have been randomly drawn into two groups of nine teams.
Each county will play eight group-stage matches – four at home and four away – with the top three counties in each group progressing to the knockout stages.
The format for the knockout stages are:
Quarter-finals – 14 August (hosted by second-placed counties)
Group A Second-placed county v Group B Third-placed county
Group B Second-placed county v Group A Third-placed county
Semi-finals – 17 August (hosted by group winners)
Group A winner v Quarter-final winner
Group B winner v Quarter-final winner
The winners of the semi-final progress to the Royal London Cup final at Trent Bridge on 19 August.
Which counties are in each group?
Group A: Essex, Worcestershire, Sussex, Middlesex, Kent, Durham, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Lancashire.
Group B: Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Yorkshire, Surrey, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Somerset.
The groups for the Royal London Cup were randomly drawn. The order that they were drawn appears in the above list and has determined the home and away ties.
Example: The first team in the Group will play at home to the second, third, fourth and fifth teams drawn, and away to sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. This continues – another example is the team drawn seventh; this team will play at home to teams drawn eighth, ninth, first, second, and away to teams drawn third, fourth, fifth, sixth.
How can I watch and follow the competition?
You can follow the Royal London Cup across ECB’s channels:
Can I buy tickets to the matches?
You should contact your local First-Class County for details on access to tickets and the terms and conditions that apply.
The health and safety of anyone attending matches this summer will remain the priority of the ECB and the First-Class Counties.
Should the attendance of supporters at a Royal London match be affected by COVID-19 restrictions, each host venue will have its own communicated ticket refund and rollback policy.
Can I buy tickets for the final?
Tickets for the final on 19 August are on sale through the Trent Bridge website, with tickets for juniors costing just £1.
To purchase tickets, click here.