Whitchurch Cricket Club is set to host Shropshire’s first Unicorns Trophy clash next summer.

The minor county’s 2018 fixtures have been confirmed with venues allocated for all home and away matches in three different competitions.

Shropshire will begin the season with a home tie at Heath Road against Herefordshire in the first round of the revamped Unicorns Trophy on Sunday, April 29.

The Trophy is now a straight knockout competition.

The winners of the match at Heath Road will be away to Staffordshire in the second round on Sunday, May 20.

A new Unicorns T20 competition will be introduced this season, with Shropshire looking to progress from a five-team group.

The county will host Oxfordshire at Shrewsbury on Bank Holiday Monday, May 7 and Buckinghamshire at Whitchurch on Sunday, June 17.

Shropshire will also have T20 away group games against Berkshire at Wargrave on Sunday, May 6 and Herefordshire at Colwall on Sunday, May 27.

The four group winners will go forward to take part in the finals day to be played at Wormsley later in the season.

Shropshire will begin their three-day campaign in the Unicorns Championship against Cheshire at Shifnal from June 24-26.

Three successive away games will follow against Herefordshire at Eastnor between July 8-10, Berkshire at Finchampstead from July 22-24 and Dorset at Bournemouth between August 5-7.

Then will come home matches for Shropshire against Wales at Oswestry from August 19-21 and Devon at Bridgnorth between September 2-4.

Shropshire’s popular annual hospitality day, the Pure Telecom Challenge, will take place at Wrekin College on Thursday, July 5.