Surrey are set to stage a two-day friendly against London rivals Middlesex behind closed doors at the Kia Oval next month in a boost to hopes that county cricket could yet get under way this season despite the coronavirus pandemic. Although England are set to face the West Indies in the first of a three-match Test series at Southampton starting on July 8, the domestic county season has been delayed until August at the earliest by the spread of COVID-19.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have suggested the Twenty20 Blast will be the priority in any truncated county campaign, but plans are still being drawn up for first-class, red-ball matches as well.

Now Surrey hope the July 26-27 match, which will mark new head coach Vikram Solanki’s first game in charge, is a precursor to “returning to competitive action the following weekend”.

Alec Stewart, Surrey director of cricket, said: “I’m really excited to hopefully see cricket return to the Kia Oval at the end of July and then for the rest of the season.”

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Surrey’s announcement also seemed to suggest Middlesex may be ready to take their players off furlough.

Surrey and Lancashire are the only two of England’s 18 first-class counties who have not utilised the British government’s job-retention scheme for their playing staff during the pandemic.