Essex Reject ECB proposal of changes

From Essex CCC website:

The Executive Board of Essex County Cricket Club has, following an extensive consultation with the Committee, the Members, and representatives of the ECB, decided it is unable to support the proposed changes to the articles of Association of the ECB.

The proposed changes require the stakeholders to approve the removal of the clause which allows all 18 First Class counties to participate in all ECB competitions, including the new T20.

Essex County Cricket Club Chairman, John Faragher said, “We do not support the changes to the Articles of Association and consequently the proposed new T20 competition. It is essential that the County Championship, domestic 50-over and T20 competitions are encouraged to grow, and they must be protected.

“We recognise and support the Cricket Unleashed Strategy and indeed Essex County Cricket Club has an enviable record in producing England players and Captains. We are focused on expanding cricket in Essex, East Anglia and East London, ensuring there are opportunities for all age and ability groups, male and female to be actively involved in the game.

“We believe that as a result of the proposed changes, these opportunities will be reduced, that our income overall will suffer and the First Class game will be diminished, in contradiction to the ECB’s objective which is to grow the game in this country – an objective that is unlikely to be advanced by a competition which would exclude large areas of the country from any involvement in it.”