Chesterfield Festival of Cricket

Derbyshire to return to Queen’s Park in 2023 for the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket

The fixture list has been confirmed ahead of the 2023 County Cricket season, with Derbyshire set to return to Queen’s Park in Chesterfield to do battle with local rivals Yorkshire.

Derbyshire will be beginning their campaign at home to Worcestershire in the LV= County Championship, starting on Thursday 6 April.

Mickey Arthur’s side will be looking to make a strong start to the red ball season, with two games on the road in April, before Derbyshire host Leicestershire and Gloucestershire in an opening block of five-successive first-class fixtures.

The Chesterfield Festival of Cricket returns in June, and promises to be the biggest ever, with Derbyshire facing Yorkshire in the County Championship, starting on Sunday 11 June, before the Falcons take on the Vikings in Vitality Blast action on Sunday 18 June, meaning five huge days of action at Queen’s Park.

Last season’s action in Chesterfield saw Derbyshire beat Middlesex by six wickets in the County Championship, and the Falcons securing a six-wicket win over Yorkshire in the T20 match, which was played in front of a sellout crowd.

The blockbuster clashes are also back in Derby next summer, with five Vitality Blast fixtures set to take place at The Incora County Ground, headlined by the East Midlands Derby against Notts Outlaws on Friday 9 June.

The Vitality Blast will kick off with the historic Blast Off at Edgbaston on Saturday 20 May, where the Falcons will take on Lancashire Lightning in front of a bumper crowd on the biggest stage.

On Monday 29 May, a Bank Holiday, The Incora County Ground will play host to a special double-header, as The Blaze take on Southern Vipers in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, before Derbyshire Falcons take on Northants Steelbacks in the Vitality Blast under the floodlights.

In total, Derbyshire’s 2023 schedule includes 39 days of home cricket, while Members can also enjoy free access to England fixtures hosted at Derby, meaning Membership remains the best-value way to follow Derbyshire in 2023.

The full list of Derbyshire fixtures can be found at https://cricket.derbyshireccc.com/

Derbyshire County Cricket Club supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Dates announced for annual Chesterfield Festival of Cricket

Derbyshire County Cricket Club has released its fixtures for the upcoming season, with the team set to return to Chesterfield’s iconic Queen’s Park this Summer.

The BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket, in association with Chesterfield Borough Council, returns with Derbyshire Falcons facing Yorkshire Vikings at Queen’s Park on Saturday 18 June, while the LV= County Championship fixture against Middlesex will also be hosted under the spire, from Sunday 12 June.

Derbyshire are set to begin their season at the ‘Home of Cricket’ on Thursday, 7th April when they travel to Lord’s to take on Middlesex in the LV County Championship.

New Head of Cricket, Mickey Arthur, will take charge of his first fixture against Middlesex, with games against Sussex (H), Leicestershire (A), Glamorgan (H), Worcestershire (H) and Nottinghamshire (A) all lined up for the opening two months of the season.

The club’s return to Chesterfield in 2022 was confirmed last Summer, when it was announced the annual Festival of Cricket was secured for at least the next five years following a deal between Derbyshire County Cricket Club and Chesterfield Borough Council.

Speaking at the time of the announcement last August, Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chairman, Ian Morgan, said: “As a Club, we are committed to continuing our longstanding relationship with Queen’s Park and Chesterfield Borough Council.

“The Chesterfield Festival of Cricket always brings together a huge number of people from across the region and Queen’s Park is a much-loved and popular venue, making the fixtures a highlight of the season for supporters from across the county.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council commented: “I’m delighted that we have been able to agree a new deal with Derbyshire County Cricket Club. It is great news for the town and borough that our residents will be able to see the stars of first-class county cricket perform at Queen’s Park cricket ground for another five years.”

Read more about the announcement here. To view the full list of Derbyshrie fixtures for the 2022 season, go to: www.derbyshireccc.com.

Derbyshire County Cricket Club supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chesterfield Festival of Cricket Image David Griffin

 

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Chesterfield Festival of Cricket fixtures moved to Derby due to government restrictions

Due to the government’s delayed easing of lockdown restrictions, this summer’s BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket fixtures will move to The Incora County Ground.

The latest government announcement, which was made on Monday 14 June, confirmed that the current Stage 3 protocols for sports venues will remain in place until Monday 19 July.

The LV= County Championship match versus champions Essex (Sun 11 – Wed 14 July) and the Vitality Blast local derby against Yorkshire Vikings (Sun 18 July) will now take place in Derby.

The Club and Chesterfield Borough Council had hoped to continue with the festival in its traditional format this summer. However, the extension of the current restrictions, the limits on capacities and additional operational costs due to Covid-safe protocols, have had significant commercial and operational implications on the viability of the Festival.

All Members and ticket-buyers will receive an email over the coming days with full details on refunds and ticket validity and we kindly ask you not to contact the Club until you have read this correspondence.

Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chief Executive, Ryan Duckett, said:

“The last 18 months have raised unprecedented challenges and forced tough decisions across cricket. For Derbyshire, this is arguably one of the toughest to date as the BRM Solicitors Chesterfield Festival of Cricket is one of the highlights of the calendar.

“While we understand the government announcement is for the long-term benefits of the nation, it adds further challenges for the sports, leisure and hospitality sector and I’m bitterly disappointed for our Members, supporters and sponsors.

“I’m grateful to Chesterfield Borough Council and BRM Solicitors for their continued support and we look forward to returning to Queen’s Park for the hugely popular festival next summer, by which time we all hope restrictions have been lifted and we can welcome back sell-outs crowds to the north of the county.”

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The Chesterfield Festival of Cricket at Queen’s Park is one of the highlights of our annual events programme, and we had been looking forward with great anticipation to welcoming Essex to the Festival for the first time and to Derbyshire Falcons renewing their rivalry with Yorkshire Vikings in the Vitality Blast in front of a capacity crowd.

“It is bitterly disappointing that the Festival cannot go ahead next month. However, keeping residents and visitors safe in these uncertain times has to be our number one priority and it is therefore the right decision to move the matches to Derby where players, sponsors and supporters can be better and more safely accommodated.

“The council will very shortly enter into a new agreement with Derbyshire County Cricket Club, which will secure the Chesterfield Festival of Cricket for the town and borough for the next five years. My thanks also to BRM Solicitors for their continued sponsorship of the Festival.

“We remain hopeful that Derbyshire’s Royal London Cup match against Yorkshire will still be able to take place at Queen’s Park on 8 August. It would give everyone a boost to see professional cricket being played again in one of the country’s most picturesque cricket grounds.”

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