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[JTtaylor145]

Feel sorry for Durham but are we all missing the big picture here? Is 18 first class counties really sustainable? Do we have too many test/ODI grounds? Personally, I would rather see less cricket but cricket of a much better standard. I would rather see 8 first class sides and see Mark Wood bowling at Jason Roy rather than Dave Masters (no disrespect) bowling to Phil Mustard. We have far too many counties and it is just not a realistic business model. There are a number of first class counties that are in serious debt. Let's be radical and have 8 first class sides and 14 first class matches per season (home and away) lets make the Test match players available so they can get some form in. Lets play the matches in April/May and late August/September leaving the bulk of the summer available for 20/20 matches and List A fixtures. Why not create 8 Super Teams and have the current county standard as the semi-pro leagues. Something has to change, 18 first class counties cannot be sustained longer term. We are so afraid to make changes in this country but we still haven't won a world 50 over competition. Wouldn't it be good for the players to get more rest in and the chance to focus on and work on specific skills rather than spending their lives travelling in a car. Our elite cricket athletes should be expected to finish a 20/20 match at 10.30pm only to travel to another part of the country ready to play another match the next day.

Rant over.

[GoodLeave]

Kent CCC must be reall happy with this, why couldn't Hampshire stay down, Durham get relegated due to financial issue and the  Kent and Essex the two best teams from Div 2 go up.
Why do a club that got relegated fair and square get to stay in Div 1 over a team who finished 2nd and in any other county season would have got promoted? And yes I am a Kent CCC fan but still I think Kent board should be fuming and rightly so

Good old ECB can always count on them and the FA to make a pigs ear out of running there respective sports

Didn't think they'd take this lying down.

http://www.skysports.com/share/10605046

[ppccopener]

can of worms !!

[Mr_Orange]

Didn't think they'd take this lying down.

http://www.skysports.com/share/10605046

From my understanding, the ECB wanted to relegate 2 teams and promote 1 with the restructure for 2017. That's what they'e done albeit swapping the relegated teams over based on the situation.

[iand123]

I always thought Kent were struggling with their argument (and thats as a kent fan). Even in league cricket at the level us more mortals play ive only ever known teams to get a reprieve when someone has pulled out or been demoted for other reasons

[ppccopener]

Durham now bailed out by the local council for 3.7 m so it essentially becomes owned by the taxpayer

This way of funding County cricket is the only way forward without a benefactor and there are other County clubs in the same boat...as they have loans or have funding from local government.

hopefully this sets Durham on the right financial path, I did read membership has gone up in recent weeks.

Rod Bransgrove can 'do one'. Not sure what the phase is up that far North

WE LOVE YOU DURHAM !!!

[Felix Tito]

What a farce. A county cricket club shouldn't be left to the tax payer to bail out.

[ppccopener]

they are all in the same boat, there has been much support in the press for Durham because in some way or another most clubs are in hock to someone. Rod Bransgrove is the exception to the rule

Graves at Yorkshire has ploughed his own money in and they are only in the black because the ECB have loaned them cash .

the clubs that hold test matches in London make money. that's about it.

[Cow_corner]

Spot on well said.

[iand123]

Durham now bailed out by the local council for 3.7 m so it essentially becomes owned by the taxpayer

Does this mean they have paid the outstanding debt not covered by the ECB's bailout? Or this money repaying the ECB?

[Cow_corner]

Durham now bailed out by the local council for 3.7 m so it essentially becomes owned by the taxpayer

This way of funding County cricket is the only way forward without a benefactor and there are other County clubs in the same boat...as they have loans or have funding from local government.

hopefully this sets Durham on the right financial path, I did read membership has gone up in recent weeks.

Rod Bransgrove can 'do one'. Not sure what the phase is up that far North

WE LOVE YOU DURHAM !!!

Hadaway an (No Swearing Please) Bransgrove. From a native of the county.

[Cow_corner]

Sh1te 

[ppccopener]

Does this mean they have paid the outstanding debt not covered by the ECB's bailout? Or this money repaying the ECB?

it's taken in the form of shares, so will only 'owe' one party I presume the ECB will get their money back.

Durham have been right royally stitched up and this is great news. it's the only way forward.

When we went round Notts they told us the new fangled screens were paid for by the council, good payment terms to pay the money back. Nottingham benefits by getting fans in spending money in the City.

it has to be a partnership going forward. Cricket cannot just exist for those of us in London( im a Londoner!) paying 100 quid a ticket.

Durham are producing England cricketers.....rant over !!