Print

[Sam]

I think what would be good would be grouped games. So another county comes down to visit you for a week and you play all 3 formats in a structured fixture list in that week.

[ProCricketer1982]

Currently you have say 100,000 fans spread between 18 counties. Over time if you invest in schools, local clubs and stream line he county game (ie less counties and better planning of the schedule!) you will get. Ore people playing, more people watching and watching at fewer grounds meaning each of them can b far superior in quality than the ones now. Plus again, the ECB should it fund financially failing clubs. If you can't afford as a county to run loads of sides then don't.. If you can only afford to offer players 20k a year rather than 50-60k etc then so be it. It's a sport but it has to be financially self sufficient too

What will grouped games do? People still won't watch it, you'll still not generate more cash so the same issues are there.

[Sam]

People wont travel that far to watch FC matches though. There's also the problem of selecting a home ground. I feel the current system supports the English team better which is surely the aim?

[Alvaro]

People wont travel that far to watch FC matches though. There's also the problem of selecting a home ground. I feel the current system supports the English team better which is surely the aim?

How many people watch FC?
If the standard went up and there were fewer games that were generally tip top, then that would be worth it.
No one watches FC in Austtralia.

[Sam]

How many people watch FC?
If the standard went up and there were fewer games that were generally tip top, then that would be worth it.
No one watches FC in Austtralia.

But completely removes the chance to develop talent. Ill give my view from a Hampshire supporters perspective. Over the past few years we've had some great players push into the team such as Briggs, Vince, Wood and Dawson. The majority of these got into the team through injuries to other players then cemented their place in the team. If we'd instead been merged with 2 or 3 other counties then this talent wouldnt have been found as theyd be replaced by experieced players.

[Alvaro]

But none are close to the Test team ard they?
County cricket is too cosy and the best players hardly ever play in it.
On the rare occasion KP deigns to play he scores stupidly easy 100s.

[Sam]

Two of them are in the development squad... heck, Carberry probably wouldn't be playing cricket anymore if this system was in effect.

[lewis_faulds]

England need to look at their talents and team of the future must be considered.
Cook (28 - very much future) stokes, Finn, broad, balance, root, Bairstow and the rest. The need to enter a translational period of defeat while the hasbeens gently fade away.
Personally, I feel KP has one more summer, prior perhaps the same.
Anderson maybe one more ashes, Panesar was his best when Swanny peaked so I reckon he's passed it.
Tredwell, slip fielder and spinner - not future but must do till someone like Briggs or Borthwick is ready

[ProCricketer1982]

Two of them are in the development squad... heck, Carberry probably wouldn't be playing cricket anymore if this system was in effect.

He would playing cricket.,, he just might be not playing fully pro cricket and earning the big bucks!

[Buzz]

Regardless of the personnel, England need to start finding a way to enjoy their cricket.

Once that happens they winning will follow.

At the moment they look to scared of failure to enjoy themselves, let alone to be able to win. England play a brand of joyless cricket which is why there is a disconnect between the team and the supporters.

[smilley792]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/25702462


Someone out there believes county cricket needs a change

[Sam]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/25702462


Someone out there believes county cricket needs a change

Won't work, and won't ever happen  .

[ProCricketer1982]

Won't work, and won't ever happen  .

No one believes it will ever happen. Mainly because of dinosaurs who very few in number would want to 'save' their bankrupt county. Stop giving them hand outs and let a couple collapse! Would be the best way to go

[Steveo1000]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/25702462


Someone out there believes county cricket needs a change

I believe the issue goes deeper than county cricket, it goes down to club cricket. The grand vision of the ECB at club cricket level just isn't producing the top class cricketers it was designed to.
I'm talking specifically about the region of the country I play in, but I'm sure it's the same across the UK. A few years ago if you were a good side with talented players you could progress as a club to the highest level of club cricket, and all that mattered were the results you delivered on a Saturday. What has happened more recently in my area of the country is that the Southern Premier League has imposed a range of accreditation requirements before you can get promoted from the Hampshire League (the league I play in), so not only do you need to be a good side, you need to have a raft of requirements in place including a set number of colts sides, boundary sizes, pitch/ground marks to a set standard and specific facilities in place.
Now I'm all for having basic facilities in place, but a number of very good teams over the past few years have been refused promotion due to real technicalities, allowing bigger clubs 2nd teams getting promoted in their place despite finishing lower in the league.
I believe in our region the ECB are trying to create a super league of big clubs in the belief that will deliver the best young cricketers. The impact is that in the smaller clubs, young players who want to play at a high level often have to make the decision to leave their club to join a bigger club in order to do that. I know of a number of talented young players who have chosen to either play a different sport, or stay at their local club and be part of the club they know and like rather than move elsewhere. Either way a potential talent may have been lost to the game at a higher level.
I apologize for the rant, but I have a real issue with what the ECB are doing at club cricket level, and clearly over the past 10 or so years it isn't delivering the required amount of talent to the top level.

Something that always makes me laugh about these Southern League accreditation requirements is that in order to play in the very top league you need to have 2 sight screens at each end. We have players from Australia over who play at a high level back home and have never played a game of cricket with any sight screens, let alone 2 at each end.

[WalkingWicket37]

Steveo who do you play for mate??

Our 1st team are in Silver/Div 1 (or whatever it's called now) and we need to extend the boundary for them to be promoted to Gold/Premier (or whatever it's called now)