WORCESTERSHIRE are to resume playing seconds cricket at Stourbridge this summer for the first time in more than two decades.

The County are taking on Durham in a T20 match on June 6 followed by a three-day Championship match from June 7 to 9.

It follows on from eight days academy cricket being played at Stourbridge CC last summer in the form of one three-day game, two two-day matches and one one-dayer.

The county are keen to reignite strong links with the Black Country, including Stourbridge where they used to play a first class fixture every season for many decades.

Worcestershire played 60 first class matches at Stourbridge between 1905 and 1962, a further one in 1981, plus three List A games in 1969, 1970 and 1982 while second 11 cricket continued there until the early 1990s.

Coach Kevin Sharp's side enjoyed considerable success in the T20 and Second Eleven Trophy (50 over) competitions last season, finishing third in both groups and just missing out on the knockout stages.

The likes of Joe Clarke, Ed Barnard and Brett D'Oliveira also won promotion to the first team while several academy players were given the chance to show their potential at second team level.

Two of them, paceman Josh Tongue and spinner Ben Twohig, were awarded their first professional contracts with the county.

Worcestershire will launch their Second Eleven Championship programme away to Leicestershire in early May.

The highlight of last summer's Championship campaign was victory over a strong Yorkshire side at Barnt Green.

Two days cricket are scheduled to take place at New Road against Northants in the T20 in May and Nottinghamshire in the Second Eleven Trophy in August.