Strauss Cuts: A Dead Duck

 

Strauss’s proposals dead in the water after county revolt.

Elizabeth Ammon.
The Times.
Saturday, 29 October 2022.

PTG 4039-19833.

Andrew Strauss’s radical proposals to reduce the amount of county cricket and create a top division of only six teams are set to be rejected with more than two thirds of the counties indicating that they would block any moves to cut the number of matches (PTG 4022-19760, 8 October 2022). However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is understood to be considering the idea of condensing the Hundred, its flagship franchise tournament, into a shorter time span, to allow more County Championship cricket to be played in August (PTG 4032-19807, 21 October 2022).

Strauss’s high-performance review panel published 17 proposals in September designed to help England become the top-ranked team in all formats within five years. It recommended a six-team County Championship top tier with two conferences each of six teams below vying for one promotion place. It also suggested a reduction in Championship matches from 14 to 10 per summer, with the changes to take effect from 2024. Other recommendations included cutting the number of T20 Blast matches, also from 14 to 10 (PTG 4006-19692, 22 September 2022).

Counties were given six weeks to consult their members, with a vote on the proposals scheduled for the end of this month (PTG 4020-19752, 6 October 2022). Changes to any of the three domestic competitions would require 12 of the 18 counties to vote in favour, but it became clear almost immediately that the proposals would not get anywhere near 12 votes. It seems certain now that there will be no need for a vote after most counties indicated they would reject the recommendations in their entirety. The only changes for 2024 onwards are likely to involve some tinkering with the schedule, which happens in most years anyway.

One area where there could be a small but significant change is the Hundred. There is a view among many counties that it should be shortened by a week — at present it is played over more than five weeks to coincide with the school summer holidays — to free up an extra slot at the height of summer to play a championship match. This means there could be one or two rounds of championship games in July and another in August.

Previously, a proposed change to the Hundred would not have been entertained but this could now be up for discussion. A reduction in the time span of the competition could be achieved without cutting the number of matches by having more than one double header at different venues on some days,

While the original proposals were endorsed by the ECB, the governing body always knew that opposition was likely, and they are comfortable for the counties to come up with other solutions. Under the new administration, headed by the former Surrey chairman Richard Thompson, there is a much more collaborative approach with the counties than in recent years (PTG 4012-19718, 28 September 2022) The issue is identifying the solution, but here is general agreement among the ECB, county executives, players, coaches and many supporters that the 2022 schedule did not work.

A Pear Review 24/10

From the Worcestershire CCC website

Following widescale discussion during multiple Members’ Forums and following the Board’s consideration – Worcestershire County Cricket Club can confirm the following:

• The Sir Andrew Strauss-led High-Performance Review (HPR) has many aspects that we support looking through the important lens of improving international performance.
• However, at the county level, reducing County Championship fixtures is not supported. Our preference and desire is to maintain 14 games rather than reduce to 10 games, as proposed in the HPR.
• We totally support the best v best overriding principle in the HPR and believe this can be achieved with two divisions rather than three leagues of six counties. We favour a true meritocracy with two up and two down from each division.
• Worcestershire does not support reducing the number of Vitality Blast games from the current level of 14 games. That would be particularly harmful to counties like ours that do not have alternative games to host.
• A reduction in County Championship and Vitality Blast fixtures would harm the holistic health of cricket in our county and beyond.
• Our preference would be to truncate The Hundred (if possible) to reduce strain on the overall schedule. There is very limited appetite amongst our members to play first-class Festival cricket during this period.
• Reducing the level of competition for select players (seamers, internationals) is a serious consideration properly highlighted in the HPR. This can potentially be achieved for these players by other means, such as limiting their number of fixtures, as in other sports, rather than wholesale reductions for all.
• It should be noted that many of our players choose to play cricket for other teams when not appearing for us, indicating that for many, they desire more cricket. More analysis and consultation with players is required on this important issue.
• The concentration of the schedule, and in particular the switch from one type of cricket to another, is an important factor that needs improving with better scheduling of competitions rather than a per se reduction in overall games.
• The schedule will not change materially in 2023, therefore, we have time to work through and properly consider any putative change for 2024.

We look forward to working with other counties, the PCA and the ECB to arrive at an appropriate solution in the best interests of cricket.