The new cricket season is set to start three weeks earlier than in 2015, with the Twenty20 competition kicking the action off on April 18, the day before the FA Cup final.

The schedule sent to the clubs last week has opening matches in the 20-overs competition being played at Sea Breeze Oval and White Hill Field.

Newly promoted Western Stars play Cleveland at 11am and Bailey’s Bay, last year’s Premier Division T20 winners, open the defence of their title against Willow Cuts at 3pm at Sea Breeze Oval in two Premier Division matches.

First Division contests at White Hill pit Somerset Bridge against St George’s at 11am and Flatts taking on PHC in the second match.

Matches are back at White Hill and Sea Breeze the next weekend when Southampton Rangers play Western Stars and Bailey’s Bay meet St David’s at Sea Breeze, while Somerset Bridge play neighbours Somerset Cricket Club and Devonshire Recreation Club take on PHC at White Hill.

Further rounds will be played on April 30, and May 1 before the final takes place on Saturday, May 7. Western Stars were last season’s First Division T20 champions.

League matches are set to start the following day, May 8 when champions Southampton Rangers begin their defence against Bailey’s Bay at Sea Breeze Oval, while St David’s meet Cleveland and Western Stars host Willow Cuts at St John’s Field. The Premier Division has been reduced to six teams.

The Belco Cup will be played on May 14 and 15. Bay meet Cleveland and holders Southampton Rangers take on St David’s in the semi-finals on the Saturday before the winners meet at Lord’s in the final the next day.

Dates have also been set aside in the schedule for Bermuda national team trial matches, three of them, on May 28, June 11 and June 25.

Also set aside in the schedule is a Sheridan Raynor Memorial Tournament on Saturday, June 25. The former Southampton Rangers and Bermuda all-rounder died in 2011.

The first round of the Eastern Counties is scheduled for July 16 when Cleveland begin the defence of their title against Flatts at Sea Breeze Oval.