2020 Bob Willis Trophy

2020 Bob Willis Trophy
Administrator(s)England and Wales Cricket Board
Cricket formatFirst-class cricket (4 days)
Tournament format(s)League system
ChampionsEssex (1st title)
Runners-upSomerset
Participants18
Matches46
Most runsAlastair Cook (563)
Most wicketsSimon Harmer (38)
2021 →

The 2020 Bob Willis Trophy was a first-class cricket tournament held in the 2020 English cricket season, and the inaugural edition of the Bob Willis Trophy. It was separate from the County Championship, which was not held in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[1] The eighteen county cricket teams were split into three regional groups of six,[2] with the two group winners with the most points advancing to a final held at Lord's.[3] The maximum number of overs bowled in a day was reduced from 96 to 90,[1] and the team's first innings could be no longer than 120 overs.[3]

After a delay due to the pandemic, counties passed a majority vote to start the season on 1 August 2020,[4] with the final starting on 23 September 2020.[5]

In the final round of matches, the game between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire was abandoned at lunch on the first day,[6] after a member of the Northamptonshire squad provided a positive test for COVID-19.[7] The match was recorded as a draw, with Northamptonshire taking ten points, and Gloucestershire eight.[8] Neither side were in contention to reach the final of the tournament.[9]

Essex became the first team to qualify for the final of the tournament,[10] after they beat Middlesex by nine wickets in their final match, and Derbyshire failed to gain a batting point in their match against Lancashire.[11] Somerset became the second team to qualify for the final after they beat Worcestershire by 60 runs in their fifth match of the tournament.[12] The final finished as a draw, with Essex winning the tournament, after securing a lead in the first innings of the match.[13]

In October 2020, Sussex were deducted 24 points after bowler Mitchell Claydon was found guilty of a ball tampering offence.[14] Claydon was adjudged to have applied hand sanitiser to the ball during a game against Middlesex in August. The player also received a nine-game ban.[15]

While it was promoted as being a one-off competition,[1] the new structure of three groups of six was retained for the 2021 County Championship.

  1. ^ a b c "Everything you need to know about the Bob Willis Trophy". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy fixtures announced". England and Wales Cricket Board. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b "County cricket's return: Bob Willis Trophy explainer". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  4. ^ "First-Class Counties agree formats for shortened men's domestic season". England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  5. ^ "T20 Blast knockouts to be staged in October to boost chance of fans attending". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy match abandoned after Northamptonshire player tests positive for Covid-19". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire abandoned after positive Covid-19 test". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Gloucestershire-Northamptonshire Bob Willis Trophy match abandoned after positive Covid-19 test". The Cricketer. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  9. ^ "English domestic first-class fixture abandoned after positive COVID-19 test". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy: Essex beat Middlesex by nine wickets to make Lord's final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Essex through to Bob Willis Trophy final with convincing win over Middlesex". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy: Somerset reach final after victory over Worcestershire". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Bob Willis Trophy final: Essex draw with Somerset but take inaugural title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Sussex deducted 24 points after Mitchell Claydon ball-tampering". The Cricketer. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Mitchell Claydon: Sussex seamer banned for ball-tampering". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 October 2020.