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— 31 August 2022
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club would like to update Members on its involvement in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) High Performance Review.
Yorkshire, among other First Class counties, were invited to the first stage of the consultation process in Manchester on Friday where the ECB held the first of four regional meetings.
The Club expects to receive proposals on 12 September to ensure that English cricket, whether at international or domestic level, remains highly competitive. It is important to clarify that the counties have agreed that the LV= Insurance County Championship structure will remain the same in 2023. Yorkshire will play 14 County Championship matches next season. The proposals on 12 September will be related to the current white-ball structure ahead of the 2023 season. Any proposals regarding red-ball cricket will be deferred to allow time for further consultation.
The Club will update the Members’ Committee following the consultation process and inform Members after the upcoming EGM at 9.30am on Tuesday 13 September in the Long Room, Headingley. Yorkshire Chair Lord Kamlesh Patel and Interim Managing Director of Cricket Darren Gough will be in attendance to relay the recommendations and to answer Members’ questions.
It is important to stress that Members will be consulted on any votes that may occur in September and the Club will be sending a survey to Members that we hold an email address for. Members views will influence the decision of the Board to mandate the Chair to vote appropriately.
Thank you for your continued support.
Counties clash on playing Championship games during the Hundred.
Elizabeth Ammon.
The Times.
Wednesday, 31 August 2022.
PTG 3983-19560.
Counties are in disagreement about how to fit first-class cricket into August alongside the Hundred. One of the main initial recommendations from Andrew Strauss’s review was that some red-ball cricket needs to take place in the middle of the summer. While there is general agreement among counties, player representatives and directors of cricket that some red-ball cricket needs to be played in August, there is a divide about whether this should be the County Championship or stand-alone first-class cricket.
A handful of counties believe there should be two or three rounds of the County Championship in August even though about 90 county players would be missing because of the Hundred. But other counties believe that being shorn of some of their best players compromises the integrity of the competition.
One alternative suggestion is a series of stand-alone first-class matches perhaps played at outgrounds against a county’s nearest rivals. A suggestion has been put forward by some counties that there should be two four -day matches in this period played as local derbies with a 50-over game played in the same week and that would help appease county members who are concerned about the lack of red-ball cricket played throughout the height of summer.
Strauss’s review has set out a number of key principles they believe should be looked at by the counties as part of a reform of the structure and schedule of county cricket. These include a slimmed down 50-Over Cup, which would be played at the beginning of the season in April and start of May, first-class cricket of some sort in August and a smaller top division of the County Championship to promote “best versus best”.
It had been hoped that changes would be decided on in the coming weeks with a view to implementing changes for the 2023 season. However, Strauss wrote in a blog for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) website last week that because of concerns from the counties about the tight timescales and ensuring they have time to consult with their members, it is likely there will be no change in the number of county championship matches for 2023.
Meetings between the counties and the ECB are taking place to come up with a number of options for the future schedule and it is still hoped that over the next two weeks some consensus will be found and a vote can take place at the end of September. Any changes to county cricket must have at least 12 of the 18 counties vote in favour and there is a feeling among some directors of cricket that a new schedule must be implemented for next year because the current one is having an impact both on quality and player welfare.
The counties have no say in The Hundred which is ring-fenced as a five-week tournament running through the school holidays so the key decisions they need make are: how many teams should be in each division of the county championship?; how many matches should each county play?; and what county cricket should be played in August while the Hundred is taking place? Both Strauss and Rob Key, England’s managing director, are adamant there must be some first-class cricket to help with preparation and development for the Test team. All counties have committed to holding members' consultation forums prior to any vote.
Stauss poses some questions that assume the reader agrees with his conclusions and comparisons.
I was initially excited with the news that 14 CC matches looks pretty certain for 2023.
ReplyDeleteBut the more you read, Sir Andrew's words, the less we are going to have of First Class Cricket in future, as per heading.
Unless we are included in "stakeholders" , we supporters do not seem to be in their thoughts at all.
Not sure of the context here, but someone asked at a members forum who the stakeholders were; they answer given was that the stakeholders are the members.foxy
DeleteIf the powerpoint document linked "Twenty First Group Document - Private & Confidential" is the actual "research" and findings then, 1/ it is hardly Private and Confidential 2/ it is comparing bananas with tuna - some meaningless comparisons being used as so called "evidence" .
ReplyDelete"The document" does provide evidence of flaws in the Hundred draft and makes a case for potential Championship cricket during August which wouldn't impact on counties' red ball squad strengths nor their precious Franchises squads to any extent.
ReplyDeleteThat noticeably falls short of their members deciding. I think only Lancashire have agreed to that so far.
ReplyDeleteNotts ?
Also picked up that Warwick's big chiefs expect "white ball" changes for 2023.
Finally, deeply saddened that county cricket is shut down on potentially the best day for crowds, August Bank Holiday
Still await news of the meeting members' representatives had with Lisa.
ReplyDeleteWhen history is written of this far from "golden age" of cricket, county chiefs will not come well out of it, especially those at the big grounds, with the possible exception of Surrey.
ReplyDeleteConsultation aka already decided; foregone conclusion. We told them what we wanna few years back and then were ignored.Not more bloody out-ground cricket for crying out loud. Sack em all I say.Never mind what “ the counties “ want , what about what “the members”want . Foxy.
ReplyDeleteCertainly no championship games at out grounds that’s for sure. Does the Club and ECB realise that not everyone drives and relies on public transport to get there and back. Plus, its England it can turn wet at any given point and obviously the drainage at these venues could potentially be another problem to contend with, especially over 4 days.
DeleteAlthough i feel 2 out of the 4 RLODC games should be at TB, I can accept the other 2 games are played at Welbeck & Grantham. They were both particularly enjoyable occasions yet again this year but certainly do not want any game at an out ground if its played early in the schedule. As per the last 2 seasons, if they’re played during August you have a decent chance of fine and dry weather to enjoy the occasion
Nothing against out grounds per se. Like all of you I’ve been to many and enjoyed ticking them off.
DeleteInteresting topic all on its own, some little gems, some not , some quirky and quite a few not on the circuit any longer.
my main big bear is no cricket at Trent Bridge in August and no 50 over games either ( ok there was one this year)foxy