*Official* English Domestic Season (2004)

[chris.hinton]

I have been thinking over the last 2-3 weeks that English Counties play a huge amount of Cricket.

Australia teams play only at least 20 games. England Teams Play at least 38 games that is two many....

Here is a my Plan

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Should be played in 3 divisions of six. with 10 matches overall this will ensure competitve matches... and there will be only one up one down system, Minor Counties will also join in the fray with 3 divisions of 7 (Huntingdonshire included) and the Champion Minor County will play the bottom of Division 2 in a Play off... More prize money awarded to the Premier clubs plus Prize money for the Division winners.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Two divisions should be Scapped but replaced by two regional division with playoffs North and South will be the Divisions. the winners and runners up will play off for the right to be National League winner. there will be 16 matches in a National League season plus it will be all on Sundays and Floodlit games on Tuesdays

C&G trophy

Should all 39 counties plus Scotland, ireland, Holland, Universites and some county Boards

Twenty 20 cup should remain the same

 

[Neil Pickup]

Good to see the penny's finally dropped.

Huntingdonshire are utter rubbish. There are excellent reasons why they aren't a Minor County, and it's because they're formed almost entirely of players who can't get in the Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire teams because they're not good enough.

There is such a gulf in class FC-MC wise that to even think about a fluent promotion-relegation system is insanity. Lincolnshire [the best MC by a distinct margin () as things stand] would struggle a lot in CC2/CC3 and the financial damage to a FC county of relegation would in all likelihood be apocalyptic.

I like the reform group's plans of a reduction in matches and combining the FC and OD leagues into one Cricket Championship, alongside the expanison of the Twenty20 to two regional groups of nine teams each.

 

[chris.hinton]

Yes but The Minor Counties winners would play the bottom of Division three in the first class champonship therefore it all counts

 

[Neil Pickup]

Which has exactly what to do with the fact that relegation for an FC county and promotion for a non-FC county would both be disastrous?

 

[chris.hinton]

Which has exactly what to do with the fact that relegation for an FC county and promotion for a non-FC county would both be disastrous?

why would it be it would be more exciting

 

[luckyeddie]

Didn't we play this game last season and we came to the conclusion that it was a non-starter?

I thought so.

 

[chris.hinton]

Having Minor Counties join the set up would mean that the youth of those counties would have something to aim for?

 

[Neil Pickup]

The FC county would go bankrupt if it went down.

The MC county would struggle immensely and need to invest heavily without a long-term guaranteed income to compete, a huge potential for more bankruptcy.

Simple economics.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Having Minor Counties join the set up would mean that the youth of those counties would have something to aim for?

The youth of these counties have something to aim for - contracts with FC counties.

 

[chris.hinton]

Didn't we play this game last season and we came to the conclusion that it was a non-starter?

I thought so.

I dont remember but i know as your are a derby fan you are scared of finishing bottom and losing first class status

 

[chris.hinton]

The youth of these counties have something to aim for - contracts with FC counties.

at the moment we have 38 counties in England Plus Huntingdonshire... and that means 39 youth setups whether they are academy or not a lot of kids are good but never make it because of the old ex-pro in the Minor Counties championship.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Wouldn't it be fantastic if Derby went bankrupt, eh Chris?

 

[Neil Pickup]

A lot of kids are good but never make it because they're not good enough!

If kids are that special they'll easily displace some of the past-it old guys in the County sides [the Lincs side was very young last year with the exception of Pollard and Fell] - and if they can't make what are for the most part poor minor county sides, what use are they ever going to be for England?

 

[chris.hinton]

Lincolnshire are the only minor county side to promote youth from its ranks... others seesm to have old pros

Would it be better if there where younger sides and there fore if they are good enough and in a better divisional set up then they can be picked up by Counties.

Stafforshire had about 7-8 30-35 years olds and have had a good youth set up in the pas, with connections to Wolverhampton CC

 

[chris.hinton]

I dont want Derby to fold. But if they cannot keep the books in order they need to be relegated to the Minor Counties

 

[Neil Pickup]

I can't think why, but maybe our side has more youngsters in it because of the fact that cricket in Lincolnshire is only going in one direction - forwards - and that we have an excellent crop of home grown (yes, check the championship-winning side's places of birth) talent, and that the other counties' kids aren't good enough?

Look who's making runs in the County Premier Leagues. It would be better if the players were better - not younger, better. I can't see what point you're arguing.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I dont want Derby to fold. But if they cannot keep the books in order they need to be relegated to the Minor Counties

Cause and effect?

Relegation to Minor Counties will result in major cuts in ECB sponsoring (the only source of money for most counties, I'd imagine) - so even though they won't be bankrupt before that, they'll need to attract crowds in the 10,000s to watch games against Staffordshire and Lincolnshire.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I dont want Derby to fold. But if they cannot keep the books in order they need to be relegated to the Minor Counties

Northants are the county that's suddenly had £247,000 vanish. It's not Derby's fault that it's an unsustainable business project to be a County Cricket Club.

Think about the maths. As it stands, the vast majority of a club's income is an ECB Grant. Relegation would remove the grant. It's not hard to see what happens next.

 

[chris.hinton]

I can't think why, but maybe our side has more youngsters in it because of the fact that cricket in Lincolnshire is only going in one direction - forwards - and that we have an excellent crop of home grown (yes, check the championship-winning side's places of birth) talent, and that the other counties' kids aren't good enough?

Look who's making runs in the County Premier Leagues. It would be better if the players were better - not younger, better. I can't see what point you're arguing.

Lincolnshire are on the upwards.... they under 17 side won promotion with an excellent side......... and several including my Brother are now in the Under 25 and First xis) ok he not homegrown

But why cant other counties follow suit?

Older players should play in Minor Counties but only 4 per team should be over 30? and players who are older should stick to Club cricket or just form County old sides

 

[chris.hinton]

Cause and effect?

Relegation to Minor Counties will result in major cuts in ECB sponsoring (the only source of money for most counties, I'd imagine) - so even though they won't be bankrupt before that, they'll need to attract crowds in the 10,000s to watch games against Staffordshire and Lincolnshire.

I dont think it could happen but would it be better if teams like derbyshire played Lincolnshire for a place in the Third Division of the County Championship and therefore they will of course win but make sure it does not happen again.