GCCC statement in response to ECB future schedule changes
11 March 2016
Further to the announcement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in respect of proposed future schedule changes to domestic cricket in England and Wales we felt it was important to share some thoughts from the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club office.
County Championship
For any fan the loss of any cricket match is always disappointing and I’m sure there are a large number of Gloucestershire supporters who will initially feel this way. However, many of you have commented to me personally on the make-up of the last few seasons and the sometimes ridiculous amount of travel and intensity of matches the team play under. Add to this a limited time for player rehabilitation - or even basic training - and the season can become very congested, ultimately resulting in under-prepared players carrying injuries who may not play at the height of their powers.
In particular, the views put forward by Andrew Strauss, Managing Director, England Cricket which are supported by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) are very relevant:
“Feedback from players and cricket management is always important in deciding how to shape the season.
“Last year a County player could change between formats as many as 24 times over the summer. Next year that could be down to as few as six. This will help develop skill levels and create a better narrative to the summer.
“A successful England team helps to attract new followers and an improved structure will give us a better chance to both develop our players and to encourage more people to play.”
Many of you will also have noticed the blocking of T20 cricket into the peak summer and the impact this has on County Championship matches, in particular across July.
In respect of the Cheltenham Festival we have been working alongside the ECB in public forums and in private conversations for several months at the most senior of levels, including talks with the ECB Chairman and Chief Executive. Following these conversations, and at their request, we have provided the ECB with a full history of the festival and have highlighted its cricketing, cultural and financial importance. We have also received a great deal of support from other first class counties, many of whom have festivals of their own. Similarly, Cheltenham College has always been, and remains, very committed to the festival.
Along with the ECB we are already in discussion about the 2017 festival and there is a strong will and determination from all parties to keep the festival vibrant, compelling and successful within the new ECB schedule; it is the number one priority for the Club’s Executive.
50 over cricket
Like many supporters it’s great to see an increased focus and importance placed on 50 over cricket and we welcome its return to a more meaningful place in the season with a mid-summer Lord’s final.
One-day cricket holds, for understandable reasons, a place very close to this Club’s heart and we look forward to seeing it grow in importance once more. The reduction in the number of quarter-finals is a shame as we have always seen these days as hugely important and compelling moments within cricket and we hope that this, and the prize money for the tournament, will be reviewed regularly going forwards.
As outlined by Tom Harrison, Chief Executive of the ECB, there is a positive impact that can also be had on International cricket by playing 50 over domestic cricket earlier in the year:
“For 2017, an early-season block for the Royal London One-Day Cup will let County players focus on the white-ball game and support England’s preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy here.”
T20 cricket
We’re delighted to see the shift of T20 cricket into two blocks in mid-summer and are really excited about the opportunity this brings, particularly in terms of engaging more with families and a younger audience.
We were also pleased to hear that the ECB intend to review future options around T20 cricket still further and we look forward to seeing a full and thorough review of these options and how they can benefit all areas of the game from the grass-roots and the spectator experience through to the quality of cricket played and the finances related to them.
I’ll close by saying that the conversations that have been had in recent weeks with the First Class Counties and the England and Wales Cricket Board have been the most frank and honest that we have experienced in recent history. Whilst we have not seen eye-to-eye on every issue, and there have been undoubted challenges across some areas of debate, there is a real will from all in cricket to create a sustainable and successful model across all forms of the game. We have committed our support and trust to the ECB in order to achieve this and we look forward to working with them, together with players and supporters to deliver the success this great game deserves.
Will Brown, Chief Executive
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