Nottinghamshire’s Mick Newell believes proposals to alter the structure of the County Championship are being driven by commercial considerations.
The David Morgan review into the future structure of domestic cricket has recommended that teams play 14 four-day games in future seasons instead of the current 16.
But Notts director of cricket Newell believes the proposed changes – designed to incorporate more Twenty20 Cup matches – are not in the best interests of the game.
He said: “If it were up to me, and I had a vote, then I would be keeping the structure we have in place for the first part of this season – because it’s the best one.
“If it is changed then it is not a cricket decision but about trying to generate more income. There’s a desire to play more Twenty20 cricket and if that’s the case we have to give up something somewhere.
“I like T20 the way it is. It is all done within three weeks at a time of the year when the weather is generally best and the evenings are light.
“I think that is when it should be played, but there is talk it is going to be from May right through to August.”
Despite being a fan of the current set-up, Newell suggests any reduction to 14 Championship games should be followed by an eight-ten split in terms of counties making up Division One and Division Two.
And he is adamant that limited-overs matches – be they 40 or 50-over affairs – must take place on a Sunday, as they were during his playing days.
Newell added: “I don’t think it is a fair way of doing things if you are playing some teams more than others. In the two-division structure it makes sense to have fewer teams in the top division.
“That’s going to help the quality at the top level and would see every team desperately fighting to get themselves into that elite eight.
“I also think we should have one-day limited-overs games on a Sunday. It is a good day to get people in.
“I don’t think Saturday is the best day for watching cricket. It is not always the best for families and the supporters are not always happy about it.
“It is not desperately important to me which way go in terms of 50-over or 40-over cricket. But cricket on a Sunday is a lot more attractive.”
I`m glad that a number of County coaches and chief execs are taking this view. I entirely agree with the points on the Championship. It ain`t broke; it don`t need fixing. It is highly competitive and does it`s prime job of bringing on England players pretty well. My County (Worcs where I am a member) has good attendances and makes money fronm it. It is the pinnacle of non-Test cricket in England and Wales and we should not turn it -literally -into a lottery. Twenty20 has it`s place but Morgan`s proposals go too far-we`ll kill the Golden Goose if we play too much. I hope ECB rethinks.
I’m beginning to think that few people have actually read the “Morgan Report”.
Look, its on the front cover people! The actual title of the “Morgan Report” is:
A REVIEW OF THE BUSINESS OF DOMESTIC CRICKET
IN ENGLAND & WALES
See that? A review of the business of… not a review of the structure to improve the test side, not a review of what fans most want, or players most want, or even counties most want…
It is what it is, so instead of making comments like “If it is changed then it is not a cricket decision but about trying to generate more income.” Well yes, yes it is, as you would know if you had even read the front cover.
Or this from Gus Fraser: “Angus Fraser: Morgan Report is a recipe for more cash but fewer England-standard cricketers”.
The point that no-one is making is this: does the ECB need to look at aspects of domestic cricket other than the business side?
Should it have another report that discusses the role of domestic cricket in developing young players? Or the role of domestic cricket in improving the popularity of cricket in England and Wales? Should it then balance out the business interests with these other interests?
Yes of course it should. If you want to simply make money then perhaps there are better industries to be in other than running domestic cricket. You think?