Strauss Summarised

 

The MHPR is a beautiful document, I sure you'd agree, it looks lovely but the pine backdrop looks a little cheap in my opinion. Considering the expense the ECB has gone to, a nice backdrop of mahogany would have more fitting. But, those are just the looks of the beast, what about the substance?

The Strauss Review is quite lengthy, as are his proposals, some hidden behind graphs and charts, making the report look factual and scientific, which it isn't!

The report is largely based on opinion, assumptions, bias and is confused.

BBC summary-click

The High Performance Review

As supporters of cricket in England (and Wales if not Scotland as well), do we see any justification for the reduction in the County Championship?

Strauss' proposals (6 top teams + 12 make-weights) would be the beginning of the end for the so called "smaller" counties.

Add in Strauss' reduction in the Blast, the life-blood of many counties (if not most counties). The demise of those "smaller" counties quickens.

In August where the Hundred reigns supreme, all because supporters were by-passed and lied to and County Chairs and CEOs were bribed with Sky subscription money, Strauss would have fans of real cricket be content to watch meaningless, pointless beer matches. Why make the journey to bleak Gorse Lane to watch yet another game against Leicestershire or Derbyshire - perhaps we would, before they go out of business but the games would just be friendlies, with no edge to them (plenty of hedges at Gorse Lane though, but no facilities).

As Richard points out, the PCA are in favour of these Strauss led "reforms" [click], but they don't speak for next generation or even the generation after that's cricketers. Strauss's "reforms" would lead to less opportunities, less participation at the highest levels so less competition leading to eventually lower standards and less young men employed as cricketers.

Their response includes:

A significant majority of current players have supported six key fundamentals required for the game to move forward from:

• Retaining an 18-county first-class system
• Overall reduction in amount of cricket played
• Greater emphasis on the County Championship during the height of summer and it not to be played alongside The Hundred
• Maintaining an elite T20 competition for all counties
• Reinstating a premier 50-over competition where the best white-ball players can compete
• Growth of The Hundred

As a compromise, perhaps the top five would be achieved simply by dropping the sixth all together. HBD

Leicestershire's CEO, Sean Jarvis has said: “We have to ensure we protect the interests of both the Club and our Members. When you actually calculate it, the proposed schedule results in a 28% reduction in days of cricket at Grace Road for Members. That is not acceptable.

“At a time when we are seeing membership rise (34% growth compared to 2019), and more of our community having access to cricket, such a reduction is not fair and does not help to grow the game.

“A near 30% reduction in matchdays would ultimately mean a potential revenue loss of £250,000 for the Club and threaten our survival.