County Cricket next season

[bungle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/8159399.stm

 

This looks to be an absolute f*cking joke.

 

1) I don't care about Twenty20 cricket

2) What the bloody hell is going on with this Sunday league malarky? Two innings per team of 40 overs each??!! Does this mean it will be just a league with no final at Lord's?

 

Absolutely ridiculous. I just hope that the seeming lack of one day cricket up until June and July means that will play some Championship games at weekends. What a load of crap.

[Saintjersey]

I would prefer an increase in county matches as to me this is what proper cricket is.

 

At the end of the day you can't beat a 5 day test match with a 20 over slog fest.

[chrisobee]

I agree that this is just absurd though not surprising. Seems like the FP or equivalent has been scrapped? Should stop messing with something which is not broken.

[The Saturday Boy]

Quite simply, it's all down to money.

 

The counties want to have more one day cricket particularly at weekends to bring the crowds and money in and everything the ECB does nowadays revolves around money.

 

Personally, I would go for the current LVCC format, extend the current 50 over competition to run throughout the summer and have the final at Lords still but in early September (like it used to be) after the test matches have finished and not slotted into the schedule as an afterthought and continue with the current Twenty20 format.

 

It wouldn't work as that would mean less cricket and therefore, less money.

 

Oh and Hampshire start a LVCC game against Lancashire next Thursday = weekend cricket!

[NI76]

Totally dismayed when I read this yesterday.

 

The 5 best moments of my Hampshire supporting life have been the 5 final victories at Lord's and yet next season there won't be a Lord's final.

 

I can't believe the players will be happy with this, both Dawson and Benham said after Saturday that they want to play in more Lord's finals and Hamilton-Brown for them was talking about how the defeat has made him even more determined to get back to a Lord's final and win it next time.

 

I hope we get to T20 finals day and win it but even if we do it wont be a patch on any of those finals.

 

The ECB say they have had extensive consultation with the fans - I know loads of Hampshire members and don't know a single one that has received a questionnaire or anything.

 

Sadly, for the first time in almost 30 years I wont renew my membership next season. I only get to CC games after work so it's free to get in anyway and I'm not paying £150+ to watch them muck about with some stupid 40 over competition with teams batting twice and no restriction on how many overs a bowler can bowl. What is the point - it is not played at international level or anywhere else in the world so how will it help the players.

[chrisobee]

They were saying on Sky after the FP final that for many players who don't get to play at International level a Lords final is the next best thing and they are doing away with it

:smt102

[bungle]

I understand wanting more one day games on weekends, but surely this isn't the way to go about it?

 

Also, surely lots of grounds with floodlights are going to miss out on day/night games, which still seem to draw a very decent crowd.

 

Looks like an absolute p*ssing disaster from the ECB, who really are showing that they don't have a clue.

 

Twenty20 will draw crowds (f*ck knows why, it is sh1te) whenever they play it in the summer, be it at weekends or after work. So why it needs to be concentrated in June and July I can't quite figure out either.

 

Load of carp.

[Dicko]

I don't blame the clubs for wanting to rake the money in

 

It makes me laugh when Sky are reporting at county championship matches, there's more journalists than spectators

 

Clearly the average cricket fan thinks the county championship is crap, a total waste of time

 

Therefore, counties have no option but to chase the pound