What the Royals 2020 could mean for cricket

The deal raises the prospect of five teams – all named the Royals – reaching the Champions League. If you need an idea of just how important that fledgling competition is to the financial futures of the English counties, just take a look at some of the overseas signings made this winter: Adam Gilchrist, Shahid Afridi, Cameron White. If all five Royals sides reached the competition, and Badale says it is "when not if", then they would split any players who are being shared between them on an ad hoc basis ("based on common sense" said captain-coach Shane Warne). They would also be putting all the winnings into a central pool and dividing them five ways. The pioneer years of Twenty20 are over. For the counties it is time to start swimming or sink like a stone.