The future?

[nat]

Lots of arm twisting going on at the moment.

Lanky have issued voting forms to their members with a 'strong recommendation' to vote for a reduction to 13 CC games.

Worcs members are starting to stir now that they realise their CEO and ECB stooge Ashley Giles is in favour of a reduction.

Leics CEO is in favour of a reduction but against their members' wishes. Sussex similarly.

Somerset have kept very quiet which is ominous.

I still think the Essex Board are malleable to some ECB blackmail.

As it stands Essex, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Middx, Surrey, Kent are against any reduction.

[essexfan548]

I'm also told Gloucestershire are against a reduction - this is direct from a member and a message he received from their Board.

[Cartero]

"a vote on the structure for next season has been delayed on integrity grounds, because of concerns that counties in Division One at risk of relegation could field weakened teams if that threat is suddenly removed."

The ECB has shown again and again that it does not care if certain counties field weakened teams during the main part of the season, eg the way we have been p***ed about re Sam Cook, and how Warwickshire were deprived of Bethell so that he could carry drinks for England-so why should they be worried now?

[kingstonj1]

Lots of arm twisting going on at the moment.

Lanky have issued voting forms to their members with a 'strong recommendation' to vote for a reduction to 13 CC games.

Worcs members are starting to stir now that they realise their CEO and ECB stooge Ashley Giles is in favour of a reduction.

Leics CEO is in favour of a reduction but against their members' wishes. Sussex similarly.

Somerset have kept very quiet which is ominous.

I still think the Essex Board are malleable to some ECB blackmail.

As it stands Essex, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Middx, Surrey, Kent are against any reduction.

Somerset doing all they can for a hundred franchise so won't upset ecb

[NotAMember]

My massive problem with this is that it has become a vote about something else altogether.

If it were a vote to play 13 matches, with two divisions, I would not be particularly happy about that. I realise that for some it's a line in the sand but for me it's not a hill I am prepared to die on. I could live with it for all its faults.

However the vote now is clearly to tear up 135 years of history and start playing a totally different type of competition, other than one where the team with the most points in one league are declared champions.

That to me is a fundamental change on many levels and something to very much be up in arms about. For one thing that it's being slipped in through the back door masquerading as a vote for the number of games.

[nat]

My massive problem with this is that it has become a vote about something else altogether.

If it were a vote to play 13 matches, with two divisions, I would not be particularly happy about that. I realise that for some it's a line in the sand but for me it's not a hill I am prepared to die on. I could live with it for all its faults.

However the vote now is clearly to tear up 135 years of history and start playing a totally different type of competition, other than one where the team with the most points in one league are declared champions.

That to me is a fundamental change on many levels and something to very much be up in arms about. For one thing that it's being slipped in through the back door masquerading as a vote for the number of games.

It *should* be a hill you are prepared to die on. The 13 game plan is the thin end of the wedge. Do you think it ends there? The ultimate goal is 10 CC games/season played between the franchises.

[NotAMember]

It *should* be a hill you are prepared to die on. The 13 game plan is the thin end of the wedge. Do you think it ends there? The ultimate goal is 10 CC games/season played between the franchises.

Well, going down from 16 matches to 14 was the thin end of the wedge.

Look, I get that, I do, but this vote wasn't originally supposed to be about totally changing the competition's format. It was about how many games to play.

What I mean is that to change the format in this way is something far worse.

[golden duck]

Agree this is a fight worth fighting.

There are 183 days April to September and only a maximum of 80 days cricket in current schedule.. 56 days CC, 14 days max in T20 from next year, 10 days max 50 0ver. But they can't fit that in??? You could even take August out for the Pomh-Bears v KP Nut malarkey and still have 70 rest days. There is a bigger agenda here.

Give me a pencil and paper and I'll sort a fixture list in a morning. 50 overs on a Sunday. CC Tuesday to Friday and play the T20 in a block June-July, job done. Still space for a knockout cup!

[nat]

The word is...
...
The motion to reduce the number of CC matches HAS BEEN DEFEATED.

[essexfan548]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c1kw0923ggmo

"The County Championship is to remain a two-division structure of 14 matches per team after a vote rejected proposed changes.

Eighteen first-class counties were asked to choose between the status quo and a new system of a 12-team top flight, six in the bottom tier, with each team playing 13 matches.

The ballot returned a result on Tuesday, one day before the final round of this season's County Championship matches begin.

A majority of 12 counties were required to vote for change in order to push through the reform, a figure that was not met.

The result of the vote means the County Championship retains its current structure of 10 teams in Division One and eight in Division Two, with two teams promoted and relegated between each. ...."

[vim]

As the proposed reform, was the one item on the Agenda. Will the SGM now be needed. I suppose the meeting could now be a slagging off session, of the former Chairman.

[Slogger]

If Essex cast a vote for no change I see no reason for an EGM. I think Mr Gallian's interim appointment is a good one. At last someone who knows the game. Now all we've got to do is maintain division one status and look to move the club forward

[NotAMember]

This is very good news - for now.

However, the whole saga, which has now seen all that time and energy which could have been used positively elsewhere, and left the impression that there were those who didn't care that teams didn't know what they were playing for, has still left a bad taste.

I hope the counties involved will look to build bridges with supporters from now on rather than just push for this again, leading to the same divisions.

[essexfan548]

The strange thing is also that the other day they said the vote would be delayed but it went ahead.

This is just the start of the fight and we need to be on our guard for this to rear its head again.

[brazilianglen]

I was told tonight that the vote was 9-9