By Richard Gibson for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:30 BST, 24 April 2019 | Updated: 23:08 BST, 24 April 2019
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The ECB expect plastic pitches to be used in domestic Twenty20 action this season when the heavy World Cup scheduling takes its toll on the squares of the country's leading grounds.
Artificial surfaces are yet to be used for professional matches in the UK but the ECB's cricket committee sanctioned reinforced grass pitches - woven with up to five per cent of a soft polyethylene yarn - for both the Royal London Cup and the Vitality Blast in 2019.
In order to use one of the new generation pitches, a club must notify both the ECB and their opposition of an intention to do so in reasonable time. With the midpoint of the 50-over competition's group stage being reached this Friday, it is not anticipated such a request will be forthcoming.
The ECB expect plastic pitches to be used in domestic Twenty20 action this season
However, with so much cricket being played across the country this summer due to the hosting of the World Cup, that is likely to change when the T20 competition begins in the second half of July.
Ten counties have had the hybrid strips installed at their headquarters, with the Kia Oval housing as many as six on their square. Although the majority are
