Another change of ideas from the ECB for next season. They are thinking of dropping the 50 over 1 day format and replacing it with a two innings 40 over match. What a great idea - 40 overs played on a Sunday afternoon, but hang on, did we not use to have that and the ECB decided to get rid of it!!!

The two divisions for the twenty/20 may go as well as two conferences, North and South, are mentioned.

Make your mind up please ECB!!

Link

http://www.cricinfo.com/countycricket2009/content/current/story/416852.html

Details of the proposed changes are also on the YCC site.

Does any sport on earth change it's competitive structure more often than cricket does? Each year something new seems to be tried...a few years later it is usually discarded or completely overhauled.

Are cricket administrators particularly short-sighted and lacking in vision, or am I expecting too much of them?

You can say that again. I'm all for intelligent change, but the ECB seem to addicted to change for changes sake. When will they ever actually get it right?

Who at the ECB is responsible for all this muddled thinking. Is it one individual or a 'think tank'?

just be grateful the main competition the county championship remains untouched at 16 matches. only one micky mouse 20/20 and i hope sensibly programmed, but we wait and see.

The ECB seem to continually spread at least ten different rumours and then wait for press reaction before deciding to do what seems most popular. Nobody seems capable of any real forward thinking.

The championship always has to remain a 16 game competition, anything else would lower it's meaning.
The 50 over competition should be the FA Cup of cricket and I see no reason why it shouldn't be an event run along similar lines with even the smallest sides given a chance to play against the big sides. Several qualifying rounds with the earliest maybe even played the previous season and the county sides coming in at the 32 stage and the draw done out of a hat. Let Muchmiddling-in the-March have their glory day in the sun against Yorkshire.

A one day league played thursday/friday/saturday evening to allow tv coverage, championship games to begin on a sunday to allow the weekend spectator the chance to see both forms of the game and guarenteed cricket on bank holidays. A three week period mid season for a twenty/20 competition and then the FACup to take the weekend slot later in the season.

Great Idea Kennyone.

Why not have 4 competitions.

a 16 match CC with all matches starting on Sundays throughout the season.

a 50 over k/o tournament with 32 sides in (18 first class and 14 others giving 5 50 over matches maximum, probably 2 for most clubs.

A mid season 3 week break for a twenty/20 competition.

A 40 over league played on Thursday, Friday or Saturdays throughout the season (16 games).

There are 24 weeks in every season so ample room for 16 CC matches, a three week mid season twenty/20 competition and a 5 round k/0 tournament.

Far to simple for the ECB though, as, no doubt, they will come up with some complicated fixture list with matches starting on different days every week and two week gaps on a regular basis between games.. Also the players will whinge as "having to much cricket". Sod the spectators who pay the entrance fees and indirectly their salaries as long as the cricketers do not tire themselves out to much by playing more than 3 days a week.

There is more sensible, constructive thinking on here than the ECB seem capable of generating.

Giles Clark claims to have consulted spectators. Has anyone on this forum been consulted?

Apparently they consulted some people at Friday night Twenty20 games last season - not me, however.