My thoughts are that we do need a higher level of competition but that the county structure should remain as is.
My solution to this would be to add a red ball competition made up of 4/5 regions with each region pulling from a selection of counties. Games would then be played on the test match grounds over 5 days under full test match conditions. In effect these would be trials for the England team but by giving it official status it may well draw in some sponsorship for the ECB. These would be scheduled as much as possible to play in the middle of summer and contracted players to play if fit and not playing in a test match.
This would then enable the Championship to continue as normal, perhaps with the opportunity to reduce games to 3 days as some would like. The better 2 XI players would then be given the opportunity to step up and play a higher lever level of red ball cricket in a competition that people care about. The places opened up in 2 XI cricket could then be used to trial the better club players.
It is similar to a red ball equivalent to the Hundred but without the franchises and with a point of providing a pathway to the national team.
The good thing that came out of the Hundred last season was the absence of a lot of the usual overseas mercenaries provided the opportunity for younger, previously unknown, players to make a name for themselves. Some did and will get a contract again this year.
This was what Agnew was advocating & I agree.
Why?
When division 1 serves the same purpose, and we have a far larger talent pool to give opportunity to (in theory).
Do you not think its kneejerk given the mitigating factors:
- 4 day cricket completely de-prioritised in recent years by ECB, including the weakening of competition by the silly conference system last season
- Games played at beginning and end of season in worst conditions for developing batsmen and bowlers who have to think for themselves?
- No preparation for the Ashes tour in question
- Covid and the challenges that brings
Please have a go at explaining why they are not far more pressing and obvious factors than completely restructuring the whole of the game so the 'best play the best', which already happens in division 1, mostly.
A return to 1 up one down would further strengthen division 1.
If the above is done, as well as changing the ball and giving increased batting points to incentiveise long patient batting, and still we get humiliated at test cricket then by all means change the structure.
Not long ago we were ranked in the top 2 in test cricket with the exact same county structure as now. Whats changed - prioritization of limited overs cricket subsequently.
