mad
Member
By which time Test20 will have supplanted the abominable 100,
I was rather hoping Three-way Cricket would be all the rage by now lol
Congrats everyone hopefully some proper cricket in the summer months to look forward to at some stage over the next 4 years if there is a god - Cheltenham & Scarbados preserved and hopefully there'll be moves afoot to facilitate a resumption of weeks at Colwyn Bay and Southport - though sadly no Swansea any more
That equates to on average an extra day or two's rest the players were after. So now all sorted and hopefully everyone's happy
Bit of a wishy washy argument full stop, that
Let's just hope the following from Surrey is true. What the game needs now more than anything is three or four years where nothing much changes or is likely to change. Just allow the game to ebb and flow like it used to. Just allow people to play and watch it when they are able to. OHD and whoever is paying him to spout such garbage should just allow somebody else to play if he or they are too tired to play - and that's kinda my main point. The structure should not be dislocated by the handful of mercenaries who jet off here and there in the winter spring and autumn.
For what it is worth, what I am hearing from someone who ought to know is that there is absolutely no way that the 14 match structure is going to be revisited in the next 3-4 years. So while we have to remain vigilant, the implication is that this year's mighty efforts are not just a one year sticking plaster
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Durham folding, I do like the look of Thompson but I think Yorkshire might be up the top end next season
83-9 FFS
GerryShedd wrote:
With their win yesterday, Sussex draw level with Warwickshire on points but go above because of winning one more game.
And Warks stay above Essex on fewest losses, both having won 3 games each
Glamorgan apparently were the county that switched last minute to a no vote. I think the ECB team that put the barmy 13 games idea together probably assumed Notts would go along with them but I presume they didn't. Lancs did of course as did our lot. They probably offered the extra couple of ODC games as a tempter to counties like Somerset and Essex but obvs they didn't bite either
It is suggested Glammy are playing the long game and have a board who would have waved through 12 or even 10 games and they reckon that prospect may crop up in another year or two. The schedule needs organising better without the cuts - Somerset should be demanding now that more July and August days of cricket are scheduled
104-8 Warks on strike already
Mikkyk wrote:
PCA not ruling out strike action after county vote
Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive Daryl Mitchell has not ruled out the possibility of players taking strike action after proposals to reform the County Championship were rejected.
Full story here: https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c4g961134g2o
They won't strike
A good chunk of their membership doesn't even want fewer games let alone the silly 13 games idea
That includes all 31 Surrey players, the Derbyshire playing staff. Plus there's bound to be a fair few other counties playing staff's and players at counties that voted for a cut. Just let those that want to play play
Mitchell has failed in his scheme I'd say his days in that role are numbered
I think the point is it simply has to remain at 14 BARE MINIMUM or else you end up with situations like in 2020 COVID season April and May were blooming lovely and the rest of the year wasn't so much. You can often get dry ISH springs followed by wet summer's. So we'd have missed out of some nice cricket weather early doors only to have to trudge through the rain to games in June and July
Temperature and warmth of summer is crucial for course but IMHO in rainy temperate climates like England you have to have 3 proper games of cricket per month right through what constitutes our summer.
Sure if they lopped off the first April game and the very last September game that'd suit many. But that would've ended up this year finishing last week in the rain and look how nice this week has been!!!
So no, 13 was a complete joke and 10 in the UK is taking the **ing piss.
What they need to do is unblock the schedule
Play a proper mix of proper cricket and limited inferior versions of it right though the summer
Derbyshire have it right;
https://derbyshireccc.com/2025/09/club-statement-domestic-structure-review/
The Board strongly believes that the fine balance between player welfare, the commercial impact of the domestic structure, as well as the needs of spectators, can be addressed by making adjustments to the schedule, as opposed to reducing the number of days of cricket.
It oughtn't be beyond the wit of man to produce a schedule better than that offered up the last 15 - 20 years we've moaned and moaned about it as spectators. Not enough weekend play was the common theme a few years back now it's not enough summer cricket full stop
Essentially the season needs to be unblocked
You can't have these blocks and also have 3 lots of finals (blast, odc, hundred) and 3 lots of semi finals/quarter finals eating up weekend's or with days going by with everybody else sitting idle. Warks had 2 weeks off recently and it was still fucking August FFS!!! That shit needs to stop. We need a schedule with counties still playing some form of limited overs league around the same time the finals are all on so that they can all be kept busy and there's something for everyone else to watch. This will then free up more time in the actual summer months of June July and August for some proper cricket to actually take place too
Vote was apparently a 9-9 split
PCA: "Structure not fit for purpose"
The PCA have issued a statement following the first-class counties decision to retain the 14-match Championship. The PCA’s player’s committee, chair Olly Hannon-Dalby and Chief Exec Daryl Mitchell, worked alongside the county chairs during the consultation period.PCA Chair, Olly Hannon-Dalby, said:
“The players voice on the schedule has been steadfast for a number of years and provided a clear directive for the game to join together to improve standards for all.
Over the past two years, we have seen increasing levels of genuine concern for player health and wellbeing and as an Association we represented this in the strongest possible way. Ultimately the required minimum number of 12 county Chairs did not see player welfare as a priority.
“The players voice must be heard and while we recognise scheduling concerns go well beyond county cricket with a cluttered international calendar and similar issues in other sports, we cannot relent in our ambition to create minimum standards to allow for a safer schedule.”
PCA Chief Executive Officer, Daryl Mitchell, said:
“Throughout the process players have been agile and willing to compromise, initially supporting a 12-game season and then a 13-game option so it is incredibly disappointing the game could not come together to improve county cricket, despite the best intentions of the players.
“Unfortunately, the decision-makers have failed to ensure our premiere red-ball competition remains a standout in world cricket by evolving, not just to meet the needs of modern professionals, but to provide a product that captures the imagination for all.
“Players appreciate the small tweak to the Vitality Blast schedule, however, we are yet to see a fixture list. At the very least, we expect to see a significant reduction in back-to-back fixtures.
“With the continuation of a 14-game Championship season, an indicative schedule for 2026 we have seen suggests there will be two games in nine days following The Hundred, this cannot be acceptable. We now need to ensure the best possible schedule can be created in a structure that remains not fit for purpose.”
Flexibility is missing. There used to be Sunday league games scheduled the same weekend as the Nat West final surely they can do something similar alongside the Hundred final and alongside the one day cup final just start games over the same weekend and move the 2 or 4 fixtures impacted back a couple of days
Also why is nobody speaking up for those players who want more red ball cricket to play especially in August?
Good email from Stuart Cain. No gnashing of teeth like I imagine some county chiefs are displaying right now. The way e.g. Lancs have carried on this last fortnight begging their members to vote a certain way was unbecoming of them
I hope this distraction can be put to bed now until 2031.
Instead of cutting how about they try to be more creative over the next few seasons try a few different scenarios out that do not involve reducing county championship fixtures.
Ideas which wouldn't get so many people's backs up include;
Try playing a couple of rounds of CC cricket during the latter stages of the Hundred
Bring back 2 divisions of 9 so there are 16 matches but have the middle 8 of them 3-day fixtures played Tuesday to Thursday in June and July in-between the weekend Blast fixtures
This would actually reduce number of playing days by 2 so might go some way to appeasing Olly Hannon-Scargill and his PCA bods but also ensure there are more day 1s 2s and 3s for members and the public to potentially look forward to
June July longer lighter days I'd say it's worth a try and we can have some proper cricket in summer again
Breaking news.
I understand that following on from the votes from all of the first class counties re the possible restructuring of the County Championship having to be cast today by 17.00, that insufficient support was gained for any change to the current divisional structure and the commensurate reduction in the amount of County Championship matches from 14.
So it is as you were for next season and unless another move to restructure is made in the intervening years, right up until 2031.
Have that!!
Hampshire are probably due a relegation. They peaked around COVID but obvs Essex, then us and since then Surrey stopped them winning the title and they've been in a bit of decline last couple of years.
I'm pleased for Westwood as we probably have overachieved first season but in terms of where the club is it's a bit of a treading water season. Flat pitches for Westy's first season I hope we can be bolder next season and take games to the opposition more. An opening bat to properly challenge Yates now I think I've been a big fan of Yates but he needs to start churning out big scores and we need to find another Hain. Not sure Mousely is there and juries out on Hamza I hope he can do it next season
How many since the Hampshire game in mid May which only lasted 2 and a half days?
It's been a really nice year through to August too with the square root of bugger all proper Warwickshire cricket to watch.
Utterly infuriating and they're set to make things worse
From what was said at the Derbyshire members' Forum yesterday, apparently the claim that 87% of players want to play less cricket needs to be 'revisited'.
Porky pies from the PCA?
They already have 3 days between CC games the truth twisting chunts
Selfishly the rotten Pears would quite like to finish bottom and still not be relegated
And they should get the extra fixture in August in any case - preferably a CC fixture but 50 overs will do for now. No actual need to trim the CC for that
Yours,
King of Spain
"Who do you think you are kidding Mr Moody if you think old Warwick's done?"
The ejits over the M5 are one of the county sets of bods in favour of reducing county cricket selling off New Road and taking all that dosh into the sunset of course
Disgraceful from the pears hierarchy
2019 Trent bridge away was lovely and a smashing game Notts were sent down. Sibley tons in both innings including a double ton. The following week there wasn't a ball bowled I don't think for the final game against Lancs. September's can be okay and one season I think it was the other way around where the final game was played in nicer weather than the games preceding it. Issue mainly is the light though so given we are safe from the drop I hope they just get on with it and get through the overs quickly this week and next.
Good celebration of Leics here;