County Championship likely to start from August 5; Lord's final on the cards

The Championship is likely to be split into three regional groups- North, South and West and all teams will be playing a minimum of five games.

London [UK]: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is looking to start the County Championship from, August 5 and the final could be played at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

• The Championship is likely to be split into three regional groups- North, South and West and all teams will be playing a minimum of five games, a website reported.
• The top teams at the end of the regional stage would then go on to play the finals, possibly over five days at the Lord's Cricket Ground.
• However, it is not known whether the winners will be looked as County Champions in the traditional sense, but the results of the 2020 season will have no effect on divisions next year.

As per a report in a website, Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire, the three promoted teams will start the 2021 campaign in Division One, relegated Nottinghamshire will remain in Division Two, and Somerset's 12-point pitch penalty is likely to roll over to next season.

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The ECB is also looking to go ahead with the Vitality T20 Blast and the finals day of the tournament could go ahead at Edgbaston.

If the domestic season does not commence from September then plans for a Championship season will be dropped and all efforts will instead focus on the T20 Blast.

However, all these plans would only go ahead if the coronavirus situation in the UK improves and the government also gives its green light.

There is no certainty regarding the crowd for these domestic matches, if the crowd is allowed, then social distancing will be in place in all the stadiums.

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This could mean grounds such as Edgbaston and The Kia Oval, with capacities over 20,000, would only be able to accommodate around 6,000 spectators.

The ECB had earlier announced that all forms of cricket in the country would not be beginning until July 1 due to the coronavirus.

All international cricket has been suspended since March due to COVID-19.