WORCESTERSHIRE kick off their 2014 LV= County Championship campaign with a trip to the Rose Bowl to face Hampshire.

The new season swings into life on Sunday, April 6 - which is three days earlier than in 2013 - while the first game at New Road begins a week later when Kent are the visitors.

Major changes for the new season will see the majority of Championship fixtures beginning on Sundays, instead of Wednesdays, and teams earning five points for a draw instead of three.

This revamp of the playing schedule will mean County fans can watch 12 days of weekend cricket at New Road, with a further five home NatWest T20 Blast matches scheduled for Friday evenings at headquarters.

Worcestershire begin the new-look NatWest T20 Blast campaign with three successive away matches, before their first home 20-over game of the season when 2013 Champions Northamptonshire visit on Friday, May 30.

The new 50-over competition, the Royal London One-Day Cup, replaces the YB40 and Worcestershire’s opening match is at home to Essex on Sunday, July 27.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "This schedule has been designed to make the needs of the fans our number one priority.

“With nearly 70 per cent of T20 group matches scheduled for Friday nights, 67 per cent of LV=County Championship matches commencing on a Sunday and a school summer holiday slot for The Royal London One-Day Cup, this schedule meets the demand from fans."

WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2014 FIXTURES

Sunday April 6 Hampshire LVCC Ageas Bowl

Sunday April 13 Kent LVCC New Road

Sunday April 27 Derbyshire LVCC New Road

Sunday May 4 Glamorgan LVCC SWALEC Stadium

Monday May 12 Cambridge MCCU UNI Fenner’s

Friday May 16 Durham T20 Emirates Durham ICG

Saturday May 17 Lancashire T20 Emirates Old Trafford

Sunday May 18 Essex LVCC New Road

Friday May 23 Nottinghamshire T20 Trent Bridge

Sunday May 25 Kent LVCC Tunbridge Wells

Friday May 30 Northamptonshire T20 New Road

Sunday June 1 Surrey LVCC Kia Oval

Friday June 6 Leicestershire T20 Grace Road

Saturday June 7 Durham T20 New Road

Saturday June 8 Hampshire LVCC New Road

Friday June 13 Derbyshire T20 Derby

Sunday June 15 Leicestershire LVCC Grace Road

Friday June 20 Warwickshire T20 New Road

Friday June 27 Nottinghamshire T20 New Road

Sunday June 29 Glamorgan LVCC New Road

Friday July 4 Yorkshire T20 New Road

Sunday July 6 Lancashire T20 New Road

Friday July 11 Warwickshire T20 Edgbaston

Sunday July 13 Leicestershire LVCC New Road

Friday July 18 Northamptonshire T20 Northampton

Monday July 21 Gloucestershire LVCC Cheltenham

Friday July 25 Derbyshire T20 New Road

Sunday July 27 Essex One Day Cup New Road

Tuesday July 29 Northamptonshire One Day Cup Northampton

Thursday July 31 Derbyshire One Day Cup New Road

Thursday August 7 Yorkshire One Day Cup Headingley

Saturday August 9 Lancashire One Day Cup New Road

Monday August 11 Hampshire One Day Cup Ageas Bowl

Wednesday August 13 Gloucestershire One Day Cup New Road

Thursday August 14 Leicestershire One Day Cup Grace Road

Friday August 15 Gloucestershire LVCC New Road

Saturday August 23 Warwickshire T20 Edgbaston 

Sunday August 31 Derbyshire LVCC Derby

Tuesday September 9 Surrey LVCC New Road 

September 23 Essex LVCC Chelmsford