The 2013 county fixtures, released today, pitted Jim Troughton’s side against Derbyshire on April 10 after the traditional season-opener against the MCC in Abu Dhabi.
Coach Ashley Giles said: “We’ve already stepped up our preparations. We’ve been back since the first week in November doing fitness testing, with a little bit of cricket going on.”
Elsewhere on the opening day in Division One, Durham take on Somerset while Yorkshire are at home to Sussex and Nottinghamshire face Middlesex.