Hampshire could not have a more difficult start to the 2017 season.

They play last season's top two, Yorkshire and Middlesex, in their first three Specsavers County Championship matches.

Hampshire's matches against Yorkshire are both in April, starting at Headingley, when the Tykes' formidable seam attack will be at its most dangerous.

Hampshire play their opening home game, against champions Middlesex, in between.

Next season's Championship has been reduced to a 14-match competition, with the first division down to eight teams from nine.

The first six matches will start on a Friday to capitalise on weekends. The rest begin on a Monday (four), Tuesday (three) and a Sunday (one).

Hampshire begin their 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup campaign at Kenton on April 27, the competition having been brought forward to the spring – meaning all the group matches will be played before the ICC Champions Trophy in June.

The top three teams in each of the two nine-team groups will qualify for knockout stages in mid-June, with the final at Lord’s on Saturday July 1.

The new-look Natwest T20 Blast starts on July 7, when Hampshire are away to Glamorgan.

It is the latest-ever start to a domestic T20 campaign with the England and Wales Cricket Board hoping summer holiday fixtures will increase attendances and that a shorter, more intense tournament will attract the best overseas players.

Hampshire do not have any outground fixtures scheduled, but the venues for the Championship matches away to Lancashire and Middlesex are to be confirmed.

APRIL
2-4 Cardiff MCCU (h) FR
7-10 Yorkshire (a) CC1
14-17 Middlesex (h) CC1
21-24 Yorkshire (h) CC1
27 Kent (a) 50L
30 Essex (a) 50L

MAY
3 Middlesex (h) 50L
7 Gloucestershire (h) 50L
10 Somerset (a) 50L
12 Glamorgan (h) 50L
14 Surrey (a) 50L
17 Sussex (h) 50L
19-22 Essex (a) CC1
26-29 Somerset (a) CC1
27 England v South Africa, ODI, Ageas Bowl.

JUNE
2-5 Warwickshire (h) CC1
8-11 South Africa A (h) Fr
13 50L QF
16-17 50L SF
19-22 Lancashire (a, tbc) CC1
26-29 Somerset (h) CC1

JULY
3-6 Surrey (a) CC1
7 Glamorgan (a) T20
12 Sussex (a) T20
14 Middlesex (h) T20
20  Sussex (h) T20
21 Essex (a) T20
23 Surrey (h) T20
26 Somerset (a) T20
28 Gloucestershire (a) T20

AUGUST
1 Kent (h) T20
3 Middlesex (Lord's) T20
4 Essex (h) T20
6-9 Lancashire (h) CC1
10 Glamorgan (h) T20
11 Kent (a) T20
18 Somerset (h) T20
22-25 T20 QF

SEPTEMBER
2  T20 Finals Day
5-8 Surrey (h) CC1
12-15 Middlesex (a, tbc) CC1
19-22 Essex (h) CC1
25-28 Warwickshire (a) CC1

Key
CC1 - Specsavers County Championship division one
50L - Royal London One-Day Cup
T20 - Natwest T20 Blast