This is not unusal - and why there's suddenly so much interest in Franchises. ECB really screwed up a decade ago: short term money bringing long term debt. Kent had to sell their ground back to the KCC and we all know what's keeping Yorkshire afloat. The likes of Durham and Glamorgan basically only were able to get Test status because they got 'regional aid'.
I wondered whether ECCC realised this themselves at the time: hence they didn't go too fast with the ground redevelopments - or whether that was crediting East et al with too much intelligence... However, ECCC's problems predate 2005.
Sadly, rather than meaning we've avoided the problems of these more profilgate clubs, the latter may end up consigning ECCC to non-first class status.
