Suffolk to face Kent Spitfires at Woolpit

February 22, 2022

SUFFOLK will host Kent Spitfires in July – two years after the fixture was originally scheduled to go ahead.

The match will take place at Woolpit CC on Sunday, July 31st.

A series of 50 overs-a-side showcase fixtures were announced by the ECB between first-class counties and the National Counties for the 2020 season.

Suffolk’s fixture against Kent Spitfires was due to take place at Old London Road, home of Copdock & Old Ipswichian CC, in July of that summer, but was shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to the strict Covid regulations and guidance required to play the match, it was last season switched to The County Ground, Beckenham.

However, it then had to be cancelled a week beforehand due to an outbreak of Covid-19 among Kent’s players.

The ECB have now granted permission for the showcase match to revert back to taking place in Suffolk.

However, Copdock are unable to stage the fixture in 2022 because they are committed to hosting another large event in July, a match between a Copdock & OI XI and the PCA England Legends XI.

Woolpit have agreed to host the match in addition to a three-day National Counties Cricket Association Championship fixture for the first time.

Suffolk will face Norfolk in Eastern Division One of the NCCA competition, starting three weeks beforehand on Sunday, July 10.

Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, said: “Suffolk will be a good test of our capabilities in 50-over cricket, on the eve of heading into a month of one-day competition across August.

“We’re pleased that we’re able to now safely fulfil this fixture, and look forward to travelling to Woolpit Cricket Club in July.”

Woolpit CC secretary Gerard Artindale said: “I don’t think anybody, even (former groundsman) Tim Parker until very recently, dreamt we might host a first-class county and we would like to thank Suffolk CCC for the opportunity to do so.

“We are planning for the event to be possibly even bigger than the PCA Masters and the Lashings fixtures we have previously held at our ground.”

Suffolk are pictured above batting in a friendly fixture at Woolpit last year against the World Exchange XI.

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