It was poorly attended, only about 30 people, and no coaches or players present due, we were told, to the PCA Dinner the same night, so the top table was Messrs Faragher, Northfield (Deputy chairman) and Bowden.
Development:
*Plans currently under consideration, work hopefully to start next winter, funded by our reserves plus ECB funding from new competitions plus the return of our £600K (said to be imminent), but no debt, aimed at upgrading pavilion/exec suite-*awareness that the loos and players facilities need improvement.
* Also new floodlights to be paid for by ECB.
*Hope to stay playing at the ground while this happens (unlike previous plans). City council said to be supportive.
* Meteor Way should be available next year, beyond that we don't know
Future of competitions:
*Chairmen and CEOs met last week at the Oval, as already reported in the press, although exactly what form the 100 or whatever will take in 2020 is still up for grabs. *However the 50 over competition is likely to be played at the same time as the 100 so this will become more of a "development" competition-there will be no cap on the number of players from each county who could be called up to the 100.
*CC likely to remain bookending the season, as now, but will see Div 1 increase to ten counties and Div 2 reduce to 8 from 2020, therefore only one county to be relegated and three promoted in 2019. But only 14 matches per county so some whizzo scheme to be developed to decide which counties don't play each other twice in Div 1.
* Because of the World Cup and the Ashes next year (the latter not starting till 1 August) there is likely to be more CC cricket in the first half of the season and less in September.
*The aim is to keep 7 home T20 matches.
* Not clear if any more day/night CC fixtures planned
Playing side:
* Vijay unlikely to be back next year except posibly for a short spell depending on Siddle's possible involvement in the Ashes
* No plans for Wagner to reappear, Siddle likely to play in 50 over as well as CC but probably not T20
* Cook likely to play in 50 over as well as CC and even perhaps in T20
* Zampa likely to be back for T20
* Recognition that batsmen had a poor year but aim to get more out of them next year rather than sign someone new -club keen about prospects from within eg Patel, Kushi, Pepper
* We are running about £750k below the salary cap
* Conceded that T20 was poor this year, they are working on it
* RTD has no plans to give up any time soon (implication that this meant the captaincy as well as playing)
* Third place in CC viewed as something we would have been happy about at the start as the season was seen as one of consolidation
I think that is about all, but if anyone would like to add or correct anything please feel free.
