John's Plan For More Derbies
21 December 2013
John Bracewell reckons Gloucestershire and Somerset should consider arranging local derby clashes outside of the scheduled county cricket fixture list next season.
With the clubs having been drawn in separate groups of the new 50-over Royal London Cup competition and operating in different divisions of the LV=County Championship, the only meetings are due to take place in Twenty20 cricket.
Last summer big crowds watched two derby games in the Yorkshire Bank 40, as well as in the Friends Life t20 and John sees it as a shame that local rivalry will not be given more opportunity for expression in 2014.
He said: “I am sorry we have lost the List A derbies with Somerset next season and perhaps during the gaps in our fixtures we should look at the commercial opportunities to rekindle those games.
“Sometimes you have to look outside the squares and maybe there could be a chance to offer supporters of both teams more of the local derby action they love.
“It is always a packed house at either Taunton or Bristol when Gloucestershire and Somerset meet. Perhaps someone could put up a one-day challenge trophy which the teams could compete for.
“There are chats going on with our neighbours about such a possibility and I think it’s a great idea.”
Somerset are Gloucestershire's first opponents in the revamped T20 competition next season, visiting Bristol on Friday May 16.
