Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2017

19 Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society www.sheffieldcricketlovers.org.uk the relegation story was to take a twist following the conclusion to the season. Durham’s treatment was to some beyond the pale. It appeared to those critical of the decision, that it had been reached in an arbitrary nature regarding the number of points deducted for next season, on top of the relegation. Whilst all the fault for Durham’s financial plight clearly doesn’t sit in the lap of the England & Wales Cricket Board their approach was accused of being heavy handed. At the time they seemed to be showing little acknowledgement that the once enforced bidding process was according to critics, largely to blame. The E.C.B claimed their message was a strong one to other counties not to see them as ‘bank of last resort’. The message was also received in some quarters as one to beware! For as long as some saw the punishment as being ‘made up as they went along’ it left questions of uncertainty and lack of confidence on the outside, penalising the players and supporters alike. Even if the ECB remained ‘very comfortable’ with their decision the presentation of it was seriously lacking. The absence of clarity as to how they arrived at their penalty had left them wide open to unhelpful interpretation and accusations.One of the biggest cheers must be Yorkshire’s continued association with Scarborough. Reduced to 14 matches in the County Championship from next season it was feared Yorkshire may have been forced to secure all their home games at Headingley but instead they decided to maintain their trips to the North Yorkshire Coast.  Whilst that’s something to celebrate the iconic venue and club will be hoping for something extra to make up what I would imagine will be a large drop in income in losing out on one day games. The E.C.B have said how much they want to support  both Scarborough and Cheltenham in an ever changing schedule and hopefully by the end of the next season we will realise their promise.