The draw for the inaugural Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup has been revealed, as part of the new domestic structure for women’s cricket in 2025.
The ECB announced a new three-tier system that will run from 2025-2028 back in April, with Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire awarded Tier 1 status.
Thirty-seven teams from across the three tiers of the new structure will compete in the knockout T20 Women’s County Cup, with Tier 1 teams entering at the third-round stage.
Two all Tier 1 ties drawn in that round means the competition will be guaranteed at least two teams from Tiers 2 or 3 in the quarter-finals, offering them the chance of pulling off a giant-killing against the fully-professional Tier 1 teams in the hope of booking their place at Finals Day.
The semi-finals and final will be played as a three-match Finals Day on Monday May 26 in Taunton, with the two semi-finals preceding the final at The Cooper Associates County Ground.
The fixtures for the Vitality Blast men’s competition, Vitality Blast women’s competition and Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 will be unveiled on Thursday November 21.
Round One
Ties to be played Monday May 5
Lincolnshire vs Cheshire
Staffordshire vs Cumbria
Northumberland – BYE
Yorkshire vs Derbyshire Falcons
Leicestershire Foxes – BYE
Shropshire vs Norfolk
Cambridgeshire vs Herefordshire
Northamptonshire Steelbacks vs Worcestershire Rapids
Sussex Sharks vs Buckinghamshire
Suffolk – BYE
Hertfordshire vs Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire
Middlesex vs Kent
Cornwall vs Berkshire
Wiltshire vs Oxfordshire
Dorset vs Devon
Glamorgan vs Gloucestershire
Round Two
Ties to play Saturday May 10
Match 17: Yorkshire or Derbyshire Falcons vs Staffordshire or Cumbria
Match 18: Leicestershire Foxes vs Lincolnshire or Cheshire
Match 19: Shropshire or Norfolk vs Northamptonshire Steelbacks or Worcestershire Rapids
Match 20: Northumberland vs Cambridgeshire or Herefordshire
Match 21: Glamorgan or Gloucestershire vs Sussex Sharks or Buckinghamshire
Match 22: Cornwall or Berkshire vs Middlesex or Kent
Match 23: Wiltshire or Oxfordshire vs Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire
Match 24: Devon or Dorset vs Suffolk
Round Three
Ties to be played Saturday May 17
Match 25: Surrey vs Hampshire Hawks
Match 26: Winner of Match 24 vs Bears
Match 27: Winner of Match 19 vs Winner of Match 18
Match 28: Winner of Match 21 vs Lancashire Thunder
Match 29: Winner of Match 17 vs Essex
Match 30: Winner of Match 23 vs The Blaze
Match 31: Winner of Match 20 vs Winner of Match 22
Match 32: Somerset vs Durham
Quarter-finals
Ties to be played Saturday May 24
Match 33: Winner of Match 25 vs Winner of Match 32
Match 34: Winner of Match 31 vs Winner of Match 30
Match 35: Winner of Match 27 vs Winner of Match 28
Match 36: Winner of Match 29 vs Winner of Match 26
Finals Day
Monday May 26 – The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Semi-final 1: Winner of Match 35 vs Winner of Match 34
Semi-final 2: Winner of Match 36 vs Winner of Match 33
Vitality T20 Women’s County Cup Final: Winner of Semi-final 1 vs Winner of semi-final 2
