Friday night will see The County Ground play host to a Steelbacks showcase after the ECB confirmed the Vitality Blast fixture against the Derbyshire Falcons had been cancelled.
A celebration of Northamptonshire cricket and an opportunity to say thank you to fans for their support over the last 18 months, the T20 exhibition fixture will follow the same format and timings as the original Vitality Blast fixture.
The two Steelbacks sides, led by Josh Cobb and Graeme White, will feature Steelbacks legends Alex Wakely and Steven Crook, alongside Steelbacks first team players and rising junior talent from the Club’s Talent Pathway.
All existing eTickets claimed by Season Ticket Holders and Life Members remain valid and will carry over to the new event, General Admission tickets are also now available to book online for £5.
The originally scheduled Vitality Blast fixture was cancelled after the ECB determined that Derbyshire CCC were unable to field a team of a strength appropriate to maintain the integrity of the match and of the competition as a whole.
Derbyshire are adhering to Covid-19 protocols and managing a number of injuries; in addition to six injured players, 14 members of Derbyshire’s squad are self-isolating after they were deemed as close contacts of an unnamed team-mate, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.
The original Vitality Blast fixture will be deemed as having been cancelled. Under Playing Condition 16.11.4.5 The North Group will, therefore, be decided on an average points per completed match basis.