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[Alvaro]

Thoughts on this breaking news? I think it's the future and I like the idea of regional teams - the South West Scythers etc.!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2012/content/current/story/563445.html

England's professional cricketers have overwhelmingly rejected the findings of the Morgan Report into the future of the first-class game and have called for the introduction of a high-profile Twenty20 tournament that can bear comparison with IPL.

The survey, conducted by the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA), reveals in detail for the first time the strength of opposition to the proposed shake-up.

The players show almost universal support for the retention of the 16-match Championship and calls for T20 to become a highly promoted tournament in the middle of the season - in the manner of the IPL - to maximise the chances of attracting some of the world's best players.

The PCA report concludes that the English game must: "Establish a high quality T20 competition which draws on experience from other T20 events worldwide, and balances the requirement for short-term financial return for the counties with the need to establish a sustainable T20 income stream.

"For that, we need a competition which has the potential to attract the best overseas players and maximises overseas broadcast interest. A significant increase in the prize money at stake is a critical element of that."

The players' views, which preliminary soundings conducted by ESPNcricinfo also suggest are shared by the bulk of spectators, place further pressure on the ECB to accept that the Morgan Report's solutions to the game's ills are not supported either by those who play or watch.

The exhaustive review, conducted by David Morgan, a former ECB chairman, was shelved by the ECB in March as the board decided instead to conduct further research throughout the 2012 season into the future of professional cricket in England.

Growing opposition to Morgan's recommendations, which included a reduction in Championship matches from 16 to 14, a return to 50-over cricket and 14 T20 matches, left the ECB board unable immediately to adopt a report that many senior officials still want to see become reality.

[Buzz]

It does beg the question: who did Morgan actually ask in his review??

this seems like a really sensible idea.

[tim2000s]

The game's administrators out of touch with the players and public... Who'd have thought...!?

[PedalsMcgrew]

Oooh! Does this mean we're going to have celebrity mascots as well? Essex need to have someone from that TOWIE programme. Sussex can have Jordan, Yorkshire can have Michael Parkinson, Lancashire can have Wayne Rooney.....

[tim2000s]

Oooh! Does this mean we're going to have celebrity mascots as well? Essex need to have someone from that TOWIE programme. Sussex can have Jordan, Yorkshire can have Michael Parkinson, Lancashire can have Wayne Rooney.....

Wales can have Katherine Jenkins, but who'd represent the South West?

[Alvaro]

Jethro

[Nickauger]

Wurzels as the half time entertainment! I think it's a crap idea personally. The IPL has shown that fans find it difficult to get behind teams when their best and favourite players go to play for a different franchise. I think it's boring, and takes away from supporting your club, in favour of a regional team that might be rubbish (granted teams like derbyshire and northants might see this as a good thing), but as a Somerset fan, I would feel robbed if academy players i.e. Butler, Meschede, Gregory etc. were poached by some-one who could pay more money.

[joeylough]

Anyone think that the T20 should have a few more teams in it like the big bash. Where some of the usual teams have two teams in the T20. This would allow more bristish players to get into the ranks. A bit like the unicorns team.

[Buzz]

Caggie, Millie, Rosie and Kimbley from Made in Chelsea could be part of the london franchise... mmm

[Johnny]

Caggie, Millie, Rosie and Kimbley from Made in Chelsea could be part of the london franchise... mmm

...you watch 'Made in Chelsea'? My opinion of you has just plummeted

[Buzz]

...you watch 'Made in Chelsea'? My opinion of you has just plummeted

watch or happen to know them?

[tim2000s]

Canners Missus can represent Essex....

[Tumo]

Canners Missus can represent Essex....

Hear hear!

[Mr Cricket]

Wales can have Katherine Jenkins, but who'd represent the South West?

Justin Lee Collins

[ajm90]

Peter kay for lancashire