CB40 draw heralds another chaotic season

Having admitted there is not enough time to restructure the English domestic game for the 2011 season the draw for the group stages of the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition has been made with defending champions Warwickshire in Group B alongside Scotland, Hampshire, Durham, Northamptonshire, Surrey and Leicestershire.

There are three groups of seven teams with the 18 first-class counties again joined by Netherlands, Scotland and the Unicorns. The Unicorns side is made up of former first-class cricketers, young players aiming to impress counties and those, such as Wes Durston last year who gained a contract with Derbyshire after impressive performances in the CB40, trying to earn another chance at professional level.

The presence of the Unicorns provoked much discussion last year but they won three matches, including a world-record 40-over run chase of 327 for 4 against Sussex and will face a rematch with one of the other teams they beat, Glamorgan, during the 2011 season. They will also face last year's runners-up Somerset in Group C.

The domestic fixture list for 2011 is due to be published towards the end of November before further discussions begin on how to reshape the competitions from the 2012 campaign onwards.

Group ANetherlands, Derbyshire, Middlesex, Worcestershire, Sussex, Yorkshire, Kent

Group B Scotland, Hampshire, Durham, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Surrey, Leicestershire

Group C Unicorns, Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Essex, Somerset, Lancashire