Twenty20 :-Worcestershire face heavy loss

The entire playing area at New Road is under water

Wednesday's Twenty20 Cup game against Warwickshire has been called off and the club has been forced to switch the next two home games to Kidderminster.

"Losing the Warwickshire game will cost us between 60,000 and 70,000," said chief executive Mark Newton.

"We are extremely grateful to officials at Kidderminster CC for helping us out at such short notice."

He continued: "The ground logistics will not be easy and we ask all concerned to bear with us, but our main priority is to get the matches played and give ourselves a chance to progress in the competition.

"The flood waters are still rising and have entered the buildings overnight which affects our communication systems, but we are determined to keep as many people informed of progress as we can."

The venue for Worcestershire's final group match against Glamorgan Dragons on 5 July has yet to be confirmed.

Newton has warned, however, that the total loss from not being able to play the games at New Road as scheduled could reach 150,000.

"In 2006 the ticket revenue alone from the Twenty20 games was 98,000 and we were going to pass the 100,000 this year. Then you have all the corporate hospitality, bar revenue etc that will be lost.

"It will not affect the players' budget for the future as we have always used the monies distributed by the ECB to fund that so it won't be affected.

"But resources will be stretched and some projects will have to be put on hold. It is bound to have an impact somewhere down the line," he explained.

ECB wishes to consider changes to regulations which could provide increased options for the 2008 season England and Wales Cricket Board statement

Warwickshire were willing to switch Wednesday's match to Edgbaston and Derbyshire also offered the County Ground as a neutral venue, but competition regulations say counties must play games within their own county boundaries.

It is, however, a rule which may be changed in future years.

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "Regrettably, no other venue within the county with the facilities to stage the Twenty20 match could be identified in spite of the very best efforts of the home club.

"ECB has indicated that it wishes to consider changes to regulations which could provide increased options for the 2008 season, but recognises that the weather conditions experienced in June have been exceptional."

The last time New Road flooded during the season was in 1969, when a Championship fixture with Middlesex had to be switched to Dudley.