Per cricinfo, Pakistan have a white ball series in April - May, Hassan Ali wasn't in the Pakistan world T20 squad, but if he was recalled he'd miss that first chunk of the county season.

Hah, shows what I know, signed for all of the Blast and CC up to July. You never know how fast bowlers will work out but he did well at Lancashire last year so I'm optimistic.

Derbyshire have less than 1,000 members so I guess their powers that be thought it worthwhile upsetting them for a cut of the gate money. I'd say it was worth a try - they can always shelve after a year if it doesn't work.

He did well at Lancashire and would be good to see him sign for us. I'm a little sceptical that will happen.

Headline in The Times for a column by Elizabeth Ammon "Andrew Strauss’s proposals dead in the water after county revolt". A bit thin on definite statements (or named sources) but says we will stay at 14 games in the CC and Blast with most likely change a bit of compression of The Hundred to get a round of the CC in August.

The Dailies Mail & Telegraph both have him coming to us. Then again, it ain't necessarily so.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-11341571/Durhams-time-leading-wicket-taker-Chris-Rushworth-makes-surprise-switch-Warwickshire.html

The Lancashire website includes the following statement "For this reason, our preference remains to hold a Members’ Forum with a binding vote once, and only once, we have a concrete proposal emerging from the ECB-led discussions with the First-Class Counties."

So I think the board is still claiming it will ballot members on any ECB proposal. I think the issue at Lancashire is a breakdown of trust where some members simply don't believe the board will have a vote and wanted an upfront commitment to 14 CC games, plus some internal reforms.

Thanks Gerry, thanks mad.

On the members committee I checked the rules and there is no election. All new representatives have to be proposed by the member's committee and if the committee propose one member for a vacancy there is no election. The members committee does not represent the interests of the members.

I wonder if, in the circumstances, mad, it might be worth serving the notice for a general meeting? There's a long lead in time between the chief executive receiving the notice and having to call a meeting, you'd hope Stuart Cain wouldn't take advantage of that but.... Also now we have the hood up I think there's a good case for revising the rules to make it clear it is the members who control the club, not the board.

I have a couple of questions. Does anybody know if it's true that there enough signatures to call a Warwickshire General Meeting?
Secondly, the club's website announcing the next member's forum described the Members committee as "the elected vehicle for gathering the views of Members". Is this true? I have no recollection of being asked to vote for who goes on the committee.

I was very pleased to see Rob Yates get a hundred after a miserable season. If we could play every day like it was the last day of the season - we'd lap the field.

I don't like the idea of a 6 team division 1 & I'd drop my membership if it happened as I wouldn't get to many games. But at least it would give the competition some much needed competitive integrity with each team playing the others twice. The parallel feeder divisions is an obviously stupid idea only there to try and get the vote of the rubbish counties who don't want to be stuck in division 3. Similarly friendlies in August.

On balance I don't see the change having a big impact on the performance of England men's teams. Reducing the number of games probably harms the Test team - but only a bit & all players being eligible for the 50 over competition probably helps ODI performance, but only a bit. In the circumstances hard to see why bother.

Most important to me is that Warwickshire should vote on the basis of what the Members want. It's too important to be decided on by people with a rugby background - who didn't watch county cricket before they came to Warwickshire and won't watch it once they've moved onto something else. If they can't appreciate they have roles in a membership organisation they need to go.

All excellent points. I particularly agree that announcing proposals on the 9th for a vote on the 20th is clearly an attempt to push through proposals without any proper debate or consideration.

I'd be in favour of playing first class cricket in August but I think playing friendlies is the worst idea sine the hundred. It would have to be CC. I also think a CC reverse draft would be a good idea, identify the 150 best four day players in the country and exclude them from the hundred draft and add an ECB supplement to their county salary. So say Sam Hain, who has realistic England aspirations in the two longer formats, would play CC for Warwickshire (and get a few £ in his Christmas stocking) &, say, Ethan Brooks, would go to Welsh Fire. I don't even think the hundred would lose much by the deal as I don't suppose many people are making a decision to go to a 100 game just to see Sam.

That's good news. I'd just say, looking at the Club rules the club has (I think) 84 days in between receiving support from 250 members for a requisition for a SGM before it has to hold the meeting. So if you think the format of the season is something members should vote on rather than the board reaching a decision (after consultation or "consultation") I'd suggest still sending those requisitions in as it could be December before the meeting is held.

I filled mine in this morning and emailed to Stuart Cain as not sure if I will get to Edgbaston again this season. The rules give the club 84 days (if I've read that correctly) before holding a meeting.

For SGM's - the rules of the club are on the website. It seem to me (not a lawyer) that the forms go to Stuart Cain as Chief Executive. It's not entirely clear whether they need to go in a single block or if 250 members writing separately is sufficient. I'd guess 250 separate requests would be OK but probably makes sense to collate and send as a job lot to know where we stand on 250 total votes.

I emailed Stuart Cain about the proposal to reduce the number of county championship games, here is his reply.

"Thank you for your email. We are supportive of the County Championship, but to date haven’t received any detail around the High Performance Review and potential proposals.

We should receive this information over the coming week and there are then a series of consultation sessions with all First Class Counties, the Professional Cricketer’s Association, broadcasters and fan groups. This will culminate in a final ECB proposal covering the entire High Performance Review – of which the domestic schedule is a part – around the 9th September.

With this in mind, we are announcing this morning an ‘Ask the CEO’ Member’s Forum which will take place during lunch on Tuesday 13th September (Day Two of the Somerset County Championship game). This will give us the opportunity to discuss in detail the proposals and take feedback. We are also arranging a Member’s Committee meeting for w/c 12th September to again secure the views of those nominated to represent the Membership.

These Member conversations, along with the views of the Director of Cricket, Head Coach and senior management within the Club will inform the view put to the Board and how the Chair of Warwickshire CCC will then vote.

Regarding your comments about an EGM, this is covered in the Club rules which are on the website ( https://edgbaston.com/club-rules/ ). I will also pick up your comments about the FCA with our Head of Finance, so thank you for raising.

I hope you can join us at the Forum on 13th September.

Take care.

Stuart"

Good that he responded and all very civil, but I took it as, we're voting yes to whatever the ECB proposes and the members can like it or lump it. Perhaps unduly cynical.

Yes I agree with that. Unlike some people I don't object to The Hundred as such. If that's the best short form competition to appeal to new cricket supporters let's go with it. But I don't think you can cut a chunk out of the season to play T20 and another for The Hundred. Either drop one completely or play both at the same time.

Anybody else signed this?

Thanks. I have signed.