ECB Approve Reduction of Domestic Cricket Volume from ’12

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) Management Board has approved a reduction in the volume of domestic cricket from 2012, during a meeting at Lord’s yesterday, March 22.

The Board agreed that the Friends Provident t20 competition will be reduced from 16 pool  matches a season to ten pool matches a season played in a dedicated ‘window’ during June and July.

A package of financial measures was agreed during the meeting to ensure that Counties will not suffer adverse economic impact from the reduction in the amount of One-Day cricket.

In other news, the decision was made to retain the LV= County Championship as two divisions of nine teams playing 16 matches a season.

With regard to the Clydesdale Bank competition, the Board expressed concern that the proposed addition of a quarter-final round could lead to no guaranteed one-day cricket for Counties during August and September and therefore determined that two options be independently reviewed before the next Board Meeting in May.

A system of either; Four pools of five teams with a quarter-final, semi-final and final giving eight guaranteed matches, or the retention of the current structure of three pools of seven teams with semi-finals and final, will be introduced.

The Board reviewed proposals to enhance and support County Business operations and approved a four year strategy to assist with the development and marketing of domestic cricket.

Additionally, the Board further strengthened the regulations concerning anti-corruption and approved the terms of reference and structure of a dedicated ACCESS unit (Anti-Corruption Commission for Education, Standards and Security)

ECB Chairman Giles Clarke said: “We are pleased to have agreed a range of measures today which we believe will be to the long term benefit of the County game in England and Wales.

“The changes to our domestic structure are the product of an extensive and rigorous consultation process which has encompassed Team England, County players and coaches, County members and other key stakeholders within our domestic game.”