Hampshire's chairman backs new county format

Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire's chairman, has spoken out in favour of a three-tier format for county cricket. In the wake of Lord MacLaurin's comments about the English game needing a major overhaul, Bransgrove proposed the number of counties be reduced from 18 to 14, and then split into two divisions, but with a third tier of semi-pro counties.

As is the trend these days, Bransgove criticised the current structure of the county game, claiming that it is there to "protect the weak, not grow the strong". Talking on BBC Radio Solent, he said: "There is a problem with the finances of cricket as a whole at the moment and it does need to be addressed, probably at a central level." Bransgrove added that his proposal would "increase the number of competitive cricket clubs, but decrease the financial imposition on the centre of the game".

He did acknowledge, however, that the chances of his idea actually being accepted were "zero or lower", but said that the counties had some important decisions to make in the coming months.