CMJ: ECB face dilemma with counties (3 September 1997)

Wednesday 3 September 1997

ECB face dilemma with counties

Christopher Martin-Jenkins

CONSTRUCTIVELY though it was expressed, there was sufficient opposition from the counties yesterday to the radical proposals for the reform of first-class cricket to leave The Management board of the England and Wales Cricket Board with a dilemma

It may be some days before they resolve it, but the implications of two meetings at Lord`s are that the proposed blueprint for the game from next season onwards is go- ing to have to be amended.

Time is short because the First Class Forum, comprising the 18 first-class counties and MCC, are due to meet in Sept 15 to give a formal verdict on Raising The Standard, the document in which Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the ECB, and Tim Lamb, the chief executive, outlined proposals designed to increase both the competitiveness and the attractiveness of cricket at all levels.

The Forum met for the first time yesterday to discuss the blueprint and the meeting lasted three hours, longer than expected, before The Management board sat down to discuss what should happen next.

At least eight counties and the MCC have said that they would prefer the more extreme idea of a two-division County Championship, with promotion and relegation, though when this was proposed at the consultative stage 14 counties apparently said that they would vote against the idea.

The Board`s compromise plan for a 14-match championship consisting of games in three equal conferences, with play-offs to determine final placings has been widely opposed.

Some counties would be happier simply to stick to the status quo and there was little enthusiasm either yesterday for the Board`s suggestion that the national one-day league should consist of 25 matches, rather than 16 in two divisions or 17 in one.

Lamb said last night that though more than half the management board had been present at the Forum to hear "fruitful but diverse views" more time was needed before the various comments could be digested and conclusions drawn.

He added: "The ECB`s executives will be discussing in the next few days whether any amendments or alterations to the blueprint are necessary. We are aware that time is of the essence."

A superb fourth-wicket stand of 139 by Ayaz Gul and Neil Millar provided the platform for Scotland Under-19s to reach 284 in the two-day match against an England Under-18 XI at York yesterday.

RHSM player Gul looked on course for a three-figure tally, but lost his patience 16 short of his century and holed out to mid-on. He had struck two sixes and 12 fours, while Fettes schoolboy Millar found the boundary six times in his 48.

The other highlight was a last-wicket partnership of 42 between Ross

Mitchinson and Neil Caplan. England were 17 without loss in reply.

Nigel Gadsby has resigned as captain of Cambridgeshire. Gadsby, 36, the longest-serving captain in Minor Counties, has been in charge since 1987 and led Cambridgeshire to six finals in his 11 years at the helm.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/)