ECB Media Release - Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy 2005, first and second round draws

Holders Gloucestershire will begin their quest for a third straight C&G Trophy title with a trip to face Minor Counties side Berkshire in the first round in 2005.
The draw for the opening rounds was made today at Gloucestershire’s County Ground home in Bristol, with 32 teams set to start the quest for a final appearance at Lord’s when the first round takes place next May.
Berkshire qualified for the first round by reaching the final of the 2004 MCCA Knock-Out Trophy, which they won by beating Northumberland by seven wickets at Lord’s earlier this month.
Eight other minor counties earned their place as the highest points scorers in the 2004 MCCA Championship, while Denmark, Ireland, Scotland and Holland were also guaranteed home C&G Trophy ties for 2005.
Denmark will therefore be hosting a first class county for the first time, with Northamptonshire having to plan a trip to Scandinavia. Ireland will look to repeat their giant-killing of Surrey this season as they host Yorkshire.
Devon, who recorded a narrow victory over Leicestershire at Exmouth in 2004, will take on Essex, while Leicestershire themselves entertain Somerset and Durham play Derbyshire in the two all-first class county ties.

Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy 2005

Round One (matches to be played on 3rd May (4th May reserve day) or 4th May (5th May reserve day) – dates will be confirmed in due course on publication of the full 2005 fixture list):

Shropshire v Hampshire
Scotland v Worcestershire
Denmark v Northamptonshire
Wales MC v Nottinghamshire
Berkshire v Gloucestershire
Devon v Essex
Northumberland v Middlesex
Staffordshire v Surrey
Ireland v Yorkshire
Buckinghamshire v Lancashire
Holland v Warwickshire
Bedfordshire v Sussex
Wiltshire v Kent
Suffolk v Glamorgan
Durham v Derbyshire
Leicestershire v Somerset

Round Two (matches to be played on 17th May (18th May reserve day) or 18th May (19th May reserve day) – dates will be confirmed in due course on publication of the full 2005 fixture list):

Durham/Derbyshire v Wiltshire/Kent
Bedfordshire/Sussex v Wales MC/Nottinghamshire
Ireland/Yorkshire v Scotland/Worcestershire
Northumberland/Middlesex v Denmark/Northants
Suffolk/Glamorgan v Shropshire/Hampshire
Holland/Warwickshire v Leicestershire/Somerset
Berkshire/Gloucestershire v Staffordshire/Surrey
Buckinghamshire/Lancashire v Devon/Essex

Other 2005 round dates:

Quarter-finals - 15 June (16 June reserve day) / 16 June (17 June reserve day)
Semi-finals - 20 August (21 August reserve day)
Final (Lord’s) - 3 September (4 September reserve day)