Stop the ECB from taking cricket away from the counties!

[notout]

It appears it's franchise cricket and the T20 blast.

Reckon the T20 Blast will end up at the same stature as the League Cup in football now.

[Valentines Park]

If Slurry and Middlesex supporters do the same the new competition could be in trouble.

Most of the people who go to Lord's & the Oval for T20 are office workers out on the lash.

Stick some juggling on & they would probably still turn up. 

[Valentines Park]

But we voted in favour.

Nigel Hilliard.

Gone but (his ECB voting record) not forgotten.

[JasonP]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37365637

Theres a lot more on here especially from Essex

And Essex chairman Faragher said there was more to the vote than a simple yes or no.

"It's been put out there that Surrey, Sussex and Kent said 'no' and people have been ringing up asking 'why did Essex agree to it?'," he told BBC Essex.

"That's not strictly correct. What I said was, when they came around for the vote, that I'm happy for the discussions to go forward subject to certain caveats and one of those is that I can't fully agree to this until I have seen all the details. I need to know exactly what I'm signing up to.

"In principle I will go along with it but there has to be further consultation. This is not cast in stone.

"We - Essex - have given the go-ahead for them to move down the road with this proposal but no more than that."


The ECB statement did not go into the specifics of the agreement, but Essex chairman John Faragher revealed some of the working details in an interview with BBC Essex:

    The eight teams will contain some overseas players, with other players selected from counties
    Matches will be played at Test grounds, but under the control of the ECB
    It will be a two/three week tournament so the players will be released by their counties and essentially sign with the ECB for that period
    Counties that are not hosting any games will receive somewhere in the region of £1.3m
    The new T20 is "not a franchised competition"

"The competition is planned and being talked about but that's as far as it's got. There is work to be done," added Faragher.

"They are looking at 2018, possibly 2019, but that is not cast in stone yet - it could be 2020 because we have got to get it right."

[alji]

I enjoy and watch all formats but the membership gives far less cricket for the money than the days when we had 8 Sunday and 2 b&h games included. Now we only have 4 lo games but the discount on t20 helps justify paying membership. Not sure that will still be the case when we lose players to this latest ludicrous idea from Graves and co. Disgrace that Essex have not stood with Surrey, Sussex and Kent on this, but are happy to sell the future of the club for a pittance. EGM anyone?

[Andy]

This is better than an independent financed and run system. However potentially the first case of turkeys voting for Christmas.

One crumb of comfort is that I get the impression that the way faragher is talking it might launch just after the completion of the ground development.

[Stringbok]

If Slurry and Middlesex supporters do the same the new competition could be in trouble.

Most of the people who go to Lord's & the Oval for T20 are office workers out on the lash.

Stick some juggling on & they would probably still turn up.

That's true. Perhaps the litmus test will be Birmingham, Notts, Cardiff and Durham.  They don't have a brilliant record for supporting the countyT20. If most of that support is county based then perhaps the city team will struggle....we live in hope.

[Slogger]

Will county cricket stop during the franchise period? If so why not play a short sharp 40 over tournament at grounds not hosting the franchise games?

[JasonP]

Will county cricket stop during the franchise period? If so why not play a short sharp 40 over tournament at grounds not hosting the franchise games?

All the best oneday players would be playing the T20  Some counties would lose over half their team.  Who would watch it?

[essexfan548]

Faragher says "I" rather a lot in that statement then suddenly says "We - Essex - ..."

When are members going to be consulted about their views??!

[nat]

But we voted in favour. It now has to go to the members so let's see how they try and sell it. Time to force an alliance with Surrey? And Kent and Sussex.

No we didn't ... apparently. Farragher said that Essex and several other counties only voted in favour of moving to the next stage. Lots of details to be firmed up *and* counties to consult their members.

We *must* stop this.

[Slogger]

All the best oneday players would be playing the T20  Some counties would lose over half their team.  Who would watch it?
[/quote]

Quite agree with you Jason.No one would watch so the counties should play their own tournament using some fringe players

[bwildered]

Irregardless of Essex members views , one thought will cross the chairmans mind, the ECB bribe of £1.3m - end of . Already voted yes in all but name, rather than a strictly no .

[nat]

Irregardless of Essex members views , one thought will cross the chairmans mind, the ECB bribe of £1.3m - end of . Already voted yes in all but name, rather than a strictly no .

The chairman will do what the members tell him to do. We need to mobilise the whole membership and not leave it to the usual suspects.

[Perov]

Money talks. £1.3 million up for graps.
Will the chairman really listen to members?
With a diluted T20 and one less Championship game, if they get this windfall will members get a reduction in their membership fees?

No response needed , we all know the answer.