Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2013

38 Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society This contribution to your Year Book comes following discussions, which included an argument or two, during the rain-ruined championship match at Colwyn Bay last summer between Glamorgan and Yorkshire. Bob Appleyard, David Drabble, Charlotte Evers, Simon Gale, Richard Levin and Albert Smith were among those present and, unsurprisingly, we produced many “solutions” for the County programme without there being much agreement between us. Three- day cricket, a single division, two- day cricket, uncovered pitches, a reduction in the number of First Class Counties (FCCs), and two competitions rather than three were among the topics on the 8th of June as it rained and rained on the rather lovely Rhos-on-Sea ground near Colwyn Bay. A few days later, I received a letter from David Drabble inviting me to write about my review of the business of domestic cricket in England and Wales. And it is fitting that I write about it now in late October 2012 because the ECB’s board of directors concluded its consideration of the review just a week ago. Most of the recommendations contained in the Morgan review were in the course of implementation when we were at Colwyn Bay having been adopted earlier in the year. The October board meeting was focusing on the recommendations concerning the playing programme following on from the extensive County Research Study undertaken by Populus involving more than 25,000 respondents. The Morgan review came up with thirty recommendations of which no more than a few concerned the playing programme and, unsurprisingly, it is these which kept ‘hitting the headlines’. The report of the review was made available at www.ecb.co.uk and, rather than going through it in detail, I show here the ECB’s Media Release dated 18th October 2012:- “ECB Media Release Under Strict Embargo until 4.30 pm, Thursday October 18th Sunday starts for LV=County Championship cricket With more than 25,000 respondents the County Research Study conducted by Populus reinforced the key findings of the Morgan Review in particular the need to provide regular scheduling for County cricket. The ECB Board noted the strong desire from Counties and spectators to create an ‘appointment to view’ for T20 cricket spread over a longer period of the season. There was no compelling preference from spectators for 40 over cricket rather than 50 over cricket and therefore the format from 2014 will replicate the 50 over format played by the national team. Consistent with feedback from the players there was a strong desire to retain the LV County Championship in two Divisions of nine teams. The ECB Board has therefore agreed that for the period 2014 – 2017 the format of the domestic season should be as follows: LV=County Championship – retained as two Divisions of nine teams with two teams promoted and relegated each season with the first 14 slots commencing on Sundays. Friends Life t20 – 14 matches per County, mostly played on Friday evenings, with the top eight Counties progressing to a quarter-final round and the retention of the popular FLt20 Finals Day format. Clydesdale Bank 50 – a total of eight group matches per County with eight teams The Morgan Review of the Business of Cricket in England and Wales