County Split Could be Long Term?

First class county game's long-term make-up in question.
Tim Wigmore.
London Daily Telegraph.
Tuesday, 7 July 2020.
PTG 3187-15761.

The decision about which format, first class or the 50-over game, is played alongside the Twenty20 Blast in England and Wales is to be announced on Tuesday   A tight vote in favour of playing a red-ball competition, running from August into October, is considered the most likely option (PTG 3185-15757, 6 July 2020).  County chairmen voted via questionnaires that were due back at England and Wales Cricket Board (EWCB) headquarters at Lord’s by close of business on Monday UK time. 

If the results reveal no two-thirds majority, some counties could change their positions to ensure a decision on the schedule can be ratified. Yet, rather than just the domestic schedule for 2020, a bigger issue is the long-term future of counties playing first-class cricket. There is a growing belief that not all 18 first-class counties will continue to play the first-class game in future.

“I'm not convinced there will be 18 counties playing Championship cricket next year”, said Richard Gould, Surrey's chief executive. “If you've got counties that don't want to play first-class cricket then perhaps we're better off not forcing them to”.  Another senior county figure said while counties were making a “one-off tactical decision” about the 2020 schedule, its doubtful 18 counties will continue to play first-class cricket in the years ahead due to the financial pressures caused by Covid-19.

The debate about the number of first-class counties, which has been going 18 since Durham’s elevation in 1992, is long-running. The reluctance of several counties to play first-class cricket in 2020 - instead advocating that exclusively limited-overs formats be played - has exposed the divergent attitudes within the county game to first-class cricket. In recent years less fashionable counties have increasingly prioritised the EWCB’s T20 Blast and One-Day Cup. 

Several officials contacted suggested that over the years ahead the County Championship could be streamlined - to somewhere between, say, 12 and 15 sides. The counties that dropped out would continue playing in the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup but stop playing the Championship, which is a financial loss-leader.  “You may well get some saying it's a much better model”, said one county figure. “It'll ensure our long-term viability, we'll still be able to produce England players and we'll still be able to pack our grounds out for Blast and One-Day Cup{. 

Any decision about stepping out of the first-class game would be hugely contentious. As well as depriving fans of the opportunity to see County Championship games, it would also risk hollowing-out the first-class game, and the pool of potential England Test cricketers.  The end of the current broadcasting deal, at the end of the 2024 summer, is viewed as the most likely time when counties may decide to stop playing first-class cricket. A reduction is broadcasting income is considered a likely knock-on effect from Covid-19. 

The pandemic has exacerbated the financial strain on all counties, which will be even greater if the EWCB reduces the income that counties receive from the governing body in the years to come.  Counties are already making plans for sizeable decreases in their spending. Likely changes due to financial pressures include streamlined squads and fewer professional cricketers, fewer overseas coaches and fewer overseas players. 

George DobellSenior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo

The outline for the county season will be decided on Tuesday following a vote by the chairs of the first-class counties.

With all clubs agreed that the T20 Blast should feature, the choice facing the counties is whether to start the season with a first-class or List A competition.

As things stand, it seems the first-class competition will narrowly win the vote. That will mean the counties splitting into three regional groups of six and playing five games. The top two would qualify for a Lord's final to be played over five days. The competition will not be referred to as the County Championship and will have no bearing on promotion and relegation.

It is a secret ballot, however, and not every club has been prepared to confirm which way they intend to vote.

Those favouring the List A competition argue that it would be cheaper and safer to run as it minimises the necessity for hotel stays. At least one club reports concerns expressed by players - particularly those with pregnant partners or young families - about staying in hotels. The PCA have previously stated that players will be required to opt-in to be considered for selection but, with more than 130 players out of contract at the end of the season, some are understandably anxious not to put themselves at a disadvantage

Another club argues that players coming off furlough will require more time to prepare to regain the level of fitness required for first-class cricket. As a consequence, that club says it favours the List A option.

Under normal circumstances, such votes have to be decided with a two-thirds majority. On this occasion, however, the ECB have asked the counties to agree to a simple majority. Even that has not been accepted by all the counties with some red-ball proponents adamant that, even if they lose the vote, they will arrange first-class friendlies against like-minded teams.

Counties remain confident they will be able to welcome some spectators back into their grounds at some stage during what remains of the season. With pubs and restaurants now reopened, the counties hope that pushing the T20 Blast into September, when the bulk of its matches will be played, gives them the best chance to recoup some revenue from the season in ticket sales.

Counties thought to favour a first-class competition:
Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Sussex, Yorkshire, Middlesex, Surrey, Somerset, Warwickshire, Kent, Durham and Worcestershire.

Counties thought to favour a 50-over competition:
Essex, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Glamorgan, Northants.

Counties are split before vote on domestic return - Elizabeth Ammon. The Times. Monday, 6 July 2020.

Monday’s vote of the 18 county chairmen on which format will be played when domestic cricket returns on August 1 is on a knife-edge, with a split between those wanting to see a regionalised first-class competition and those who would prefer a 50-over cup.  The vote is likely to be tight, with ten expected to vote for a red-ball competition and eight for a one-day cup, although it could still be tied which would mean a deadlock and the need for another vote. 

A majority, even if it is only a majority of two, is needed before the fixture list can be drawn up. Most of the bigger counties who stage international matches want to resume first-class cricket, arguing they have a responsibility to provide some “traditional” action during August, given that September and some of October will be dedicated to a regional T20 Blast.

Lancashire, Yorkshire, Surrey, Middlesex, Worcestershire, Kent, Durham and Somerset have all said that they would prefer a first-class competition, while the main proponents of a one-day cup include Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Essex.

There are concerns from many of the smaller counties about the additional hotel costs associated with playing multi-day matches.They would prefer to minimise overnight stays by playing one-day cricket, which would mean one overnight stay the night before the match or, in some cases, travelling to and from the match on the same day.

Also up for discussion at the meeting is whether or not to allow overseas players. Worcestershire have signed Hamish Rutherford, the New Zealand batsman, for the T20 Blast but they are the only county, at this point, to have an overseas player for this year.