Fixtures delay frustrates Worcs

Leatherdale can start to sell hospitality at New Road

Worcestershire marketing director David Leatherdale says the late release of the first-class fixtures for 2009 has not helped county clubs.

Leatherdale, a former Worcester player, says he has every sympathy with the England & Wales Cricket Board but the delay has been a setback.

He said: "We would normally go out to members late October so we are four or five weeks behind that.

"We sent details out without the fixtures, as a lot of clubs had to do."

He continued: "The idea is people like to buy memberships for Christmas presents and it's been difficult to do that.

"It all revolves around the two Test matches next May-time, and the ECB wouldn't release the fixtures until they found out the warm-up games etc.

"It's not easy for the ECB and we got the provisional fixtures earlier in the week but Ireland had to change one date as they had an ICC game, and it affected 14 other games when they had to change that one game."

Steve Rhodes is not too worried about Worcs' early away games

Worcestershire start with 17 days' cricket away from New Road, as they have been given extra time to complete the work on the new Graeme Hick Pavilion, with the first home game on 4 May against Nottinghamshire.

Director of cricket Steve Rhodes told BBC Hereford & Worcester the nomadic start to the campaign was not something he was too concerned about.

"I don't it will be too much of a drama for us, the games are all going to be tough in Division One and we are looking forward to them starting."