Assisting ECB’s Head of Cricket Operations (First Class), Alan Fordham, were England head coach Peter Moores, and tournament director of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, Steve Elworthy.
Ireland and Scotland were pre-allocated to groups A and B respectively, with a free draw deciding the 18 county places in groups A, B, C and D.
Sides will play the other four in their group home and away, a total of eight group matches each. The top two teams in each group will progress to the knockout quarter-final stage.
The full draw is as follows:
Ireland
Hampshire
Nottinghamshire
Worcestershire
Leicestershire
Scotland
Warwickshire
Kent
Somerset
Middlesex
Surrey
Durham
Gloucestershire
Yorkshire
Sussex
Essex
Glamorgan
Lancashire
Derbyshire
Northamptonshire
The Friends Provident Trophy Final will take place on Saturday July 25 (reserve day Sunday July 26) at Lord’s Cricket Ground.