WILTSHIRE will start their preparations for the 2017 season with a friendly against Gloucestershire’s second string at South Wilts CC on Saturday, April 8.

The side, led by Potterne’s Ed Young, play four friendlies in two weeks to hone their skills ahead of the Unicorns KO Trophy and Unicorns County Championship campaign this summer.

The day after the Gloucestershire contest, the county travel north to face Frocester on Sunday, April 9 and then take on Berkshire in their annual Marlborough Cup clash on Sunday, April 16.

A one-day contest against Dorset follows on Monday, April 17, six days prior to the start of their Unicorns KO Trophy campaign with a home appointment against Buckinghamshire at Warminster CC on Sunday, April 23.

The county, again managed by Neil Shardlow, head to Ipswich School to take on Suffolk in the trophy on April 30 and host Bedfordshire, again at Warminster, on May 7.

The trophy group stage wraps up with a trip to face Hertfordshire in Hertford on May 14, with the quarter finals to follow on June 11 should they progress.

Wiltshire’s Unicorns County Championship Western Division three-day campaign gets under way away to Oxfordshire at Great and Little Tew on Sunday-Tuesday, June 4-6, with the first home match taking place at Corsham on June 18-20 against Dorset.

Further home fixtures take place against Devon at South Wilts on July 16-18 and Cheshire at Devizes on July 30-August 1, with away fixture against Berkshire at Falkland (July 2-4) and Shropshire at Bridgnorth (August 13-15).

The four-day final is scheduled for Banbury on August 27-30.

Young said: “I believe it’s a very exciting time for Wiltshire Cricket, there’s a great mix of youth and experience.

“I will be looking to continue to encourage all players to be positive when playing and use the games as a medium to express themselves and their talents.’’