WILTSHIRE'S 2004 campaign gets off the ground in earnest in early May.

Two days prior to Wiltshire's big C&G Trophy match against Nottinghamshire, on Wednesday, May 5, Wilts open their season against old rivals Berkshire in a warm-up challenge for the Marlborough Cup at Devizes.

They also play a friendly at the Rose Bowl against Hampshire 2nd on May 17 before kicking-off their Minor Counties Championship challenge at Colwall on May 23-25 against Herefordshire.

The next is home to Cornwall at Trowbridge on June 13-15 while the last of the six is away to Devon at Exmouth on August 22-24.

The fourth year of three-day games, Wiltshire also face one other important cup tie. They have been drawn away in the second round of the Minor Counties Knockout Cup on June 20 to Herefordshire or Shropshire, both sides they will also face in the western division of the minor counties championship.

If successful they will be away to either Dorset or Norfolk in the quarter-finals in July.

Wiltshire reached the final of this competition in 1993 but lost out to Staffordshire at Lord's.

Batsman Russell Rowe had an impressive first season as Wilts captain in succession to Steve Perrin and not surprisingly has been re-engaged for 2004.

Former Worcestershire and England spinner Richard Illingworth,who made a big impact last year, with both the bat and ball, returns again in 2004.

On the first class umpires reserve list, he will be available for four of Wiltshire's six championship games, but not the C&G match as he will be umpiring one of the ties that day.

And the county have strengthened their base by registering Mark Thorburn (Bath and Hants trialist) and also hope to sign Toby Sharpe (ex-Dorset).